Why Superheroes Need Their Sleep
by MiaGhost
Summary: Sleepiness is becoming a regular thing in the civilian lives of Paris's heroes. They've been a team for over a year, and are close. Marinette's opinion of Cat is changing and her heart is swaying, but how will she feel when he finds out her secret? And all because she didn't get enough sleep... (AccidentalReveal!) LadyNoir/Adrinette/Marichat
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

She was _exhausted_.

Stifling yet another yawn Marinette lifted her face from where it lay upon her journal. She rested her chin upon the desk as she watched their English teacher step into the room.

On a good day Marinette enjoyed English.

On a day like this however, when she had come to school with little to no sleep due to an akuma and a unfortunately-timed wedding to cater for, she couldn't enjoy it.  
In fact she wouldn't be surprised if it sent her to sleep.

Especially if they were continuing with Chaucer and his crap poetry in his _Middle English_ weirdness that gave her a headache on the _good_ days.

The teacher was talking.

And she should be listening but instead she closed her eyes again, the only indication that she could feel Alya poking her with her pencil being her reluctant mewlings.

They sounded very much like Cat when he whined at her sometimes.  
Hers were much cuter though.  
Not that his weren't cute.

Not that they _were_ , of course, just…

Urghh she was too tired to deal with this. She yawned again, lifting her face to try and attempt to pay attention. And she was pretty pleased she did too, because the teacher was telling them they'd be working on something different today.

 _Oh Thank God_.

"… and of course we all enjoy a good play on words now don't we?"

Well.  
Maybe.

"… commonly referred to as puns. You'll be working in pairs to…"

The voice faded in her ears as she felt herself dozing again.

What?  
Urghh, _puns_?  
Really?

Didn't she suffer through enough of them already?

Being a secret superhero sucked. Sleepless nights and a drop in her grades, having to make up excuse after excuse as to why no-one can find her during akuma attacks…

And _puns_.

Hell, they were a complaint in their own damn _Cat_ egory.

Oh God.  
Now she was doing it.

Why me?

"Marinette."

She winced as the pencil poked her in an already sore spot.

Cat had been playful the night before and they'd ended up arguing. They'd wrestled during patrol, a friendly game that was becoming more and more of a regular thing, even though she tried to stay the serious one. He'd poked her hard enough in the ribs to leave a bruise when he was trying to pin her down to tickle her.

"Oww, Alya. I've got a bruise there you meanie."

She blinked up at her friend, resisting the yawn that jumped to her jaw. And failing spectacularly, because it made its presence known and brought a friend. Much to Alya's delight.

"A bruise? From _what_ , sleeping in? Staying up late and scribbling in your sketchbook?"

She tried to glare. She did. She could hear the class chatting in their pairs, hear the laughter that could only be at terrible puns and she groaned again.

"Alya i don't think i can take any more puns. My life's too full of them already." she whined, setting her head back on her desk.

Nino and Adrien were already starting, and she could hear Nino laughing. Which could mean that Adrien was good at puns.  
Well.  
It had taken more than a year but she'd finally found something that might be a sign that he wasn't completely perfect after all.

She drifted again as Nino's voice was whispering, thoughts of Adrien lulling her into a doze as she silently bemoaned Cat Noir's terrible puns and his even worse comedic timing.

That damn feline was the world's worst.

And he was always so dang proud of them, that infuriating teasing lilt in his voice when he said things like-

"What's wrong, _Sleeping_ Beauty? You look like you're _feline_ _paws_ itively _bugged_ out. I wonder what could be the _claws_ of your _cat_ -napping?"

Someone chuckled. She whined, a tired sobbing sound that escaped her throat in complaint to his assault on her ears.

"Come on Noir _please_ , haven't we talked about this? I _will_ string you up."

Her partner was quiet in response and she sighed in relief, yawning as the conversations and laughter created a pleasant backdrop as she dozed in and out.

The poking was back and she grumbled, scooting away from it. She lifted her face from her journal and looked at Alya through her heavy lids.

"Why must you stab me? I thought we were friends." she yawned, stretching and trying to wake herself up.

If they were determined to stab her with pencils then she'd try to avoid that as best she could.  
She yawned.

When she finally turned her gaze on her friends though, they were staring at her in surprise. She looked between them all, six wide eyes staring at her like she'd grown a second head. She began to feel self-conscious as she woke up properly, and she looked at Alya.

"What? Do i have pen on my face or something?"

Alya just blinked, and Marinette looked to Nino for help. He opened his mouth, frowning as he looked like he was trying to decide what to say. As a last resort she glanced nervously at Adrien, blushing under the intense look in his green eyes. He looked like he was thinking really hard about something, and she must be more exhausted than she thought because he actually looked a little bit _afraid._

"What did you say?"

Alya found her voice first, looking at Marinette in wonder. Marinette had no idea what was going on, her brain foggy and tired.

"Pen? Do i have pen on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"

She raised a hand to her face, her cheeks beginning to burn as she brushed at her face just in case. She sent Alya pleading look when she didn't reply.

" _Dude_. You said _Noir_. Like, as in _Cat Noir_."

She frowned at Nino as her brain slowly wired up, turning cogs slowly.

And then it clicked.

Oh.

 _Oh._

She turned scarlet and scrambled for an excuse. Her head was full of clouds and water as it tried to wake up.

"I- uhm- sleepy- night- ahh- _puns_ …"

She took a breath, cursing her luck.

 _That damn cat_.

"Uhm."

Alya was giggling. Marinette looked to her for help, only to receive a sly side-eyed look.

"You're so _red_ Girl! Calm down before you boil over." she snickered.

Marinette swallowed.  
Thank goodness for friends like Alya.

"Anyone would think you have a crush on him you know. Talk about muttering his name in your sleep…"

Maybe not.  
Curse goodness for landing her with Alya.

Marinette couldn't breathe properly, the implication that she would ever crush on Cat Noir making her skin burn.

He-  
Well.  
He was her partner.

And he bugged the crap out of her but she loved him regardless.  
But not like _that_.

She couldn't could she?  
 _That_ was saved for Adrien.

Oh God. And now _he_ would think she liked Cat and he'd never give her the chance to prove herself to him and _Oh, you exhausting feline and your stupid puns!_

"On Noir? Hardly." she snapped, perhaps a little fiercely.

She didn't see the way Adrien jerked back, or the flicker of surprised hurt that flashed across his face. Because she was purposefully _not_ looking at Adrien.

If she did, she might really combust. And then where would Paris be?

"Oh?" Alya was not deterred, her wicked smirk growing under the influence of Nino's laughter.

"Yes, _oh_. I just- He likes puns. That's all."

"Uh-huh."

She scowled and crossed her arms at them all and their laughter. She was telling the truth, wasn't she?

Her partner was a sucker for rubbish puns and she had to put up with them _every bloody day_.

"It's true! When we- Just last night he used six all in one go and thought it was _funny_."

Whoops.  
Wrong thing to say.

Alya's face lit up and Nino sat straighter.

"You saw Cat Noir last night? _Bro_ that's _wicked_!"

"What? How- _when_? Why didn't you call me Girl? I could have asked for an interview, put him on the _LadyBlog_! Mari _nette_!"

She fidgeted, hating to lie but seeing no way out. Her face had cooled a little thank god. Her brain was awake, whirring and kicking up the easiest excuse she could think of.

"He- uhm. He dropped by. Just to say hello."

Her mind jumped back to the night before, inspiration striking. Yes, lace the truth in! That's what made a believable lie, right?

"He made a baking joke, actually, seeing as how i'm a baker and everything."

Not technically true, he'd made in on patrol, but the joke was still fresh in her memory because it had been so awful. And because she'd panicked for a moment that he might know her real identity.

"It went something like, _Why are cats better than dogs at making cakes?_ "

She looked between them all, missing the wide-eyed shock in Adrien's face as she stumbled over her words to get the punchline out and make them believe her tale. The nervous smile on her face had _nothing_ to with any eagerness to see their reactions.

Because the joke was _terrible_.  
Totally awful.

" _Because they have better whiskers!_ "

She chuckled.

From the adrenaline of her lie and narrow escape, _not_ because his joke was funny.

Nino and Alya were sniggering but Adrien had jerked back so hard he'd knocked his textbook from his desk. It hit the floor with a thump. Marinette looked at him curiously, about to ask if he was okay. She didn't expect him to be staring at her with the widest eyes she'd ever seen, one hand coming up to cover his mouth. The expression was unnerving. It made her incredibly anxious.

"U-uhm. A-Adrien? Are- are you o-okay?"

He seemed to come to, blinking in surprise and glancing at his friends' worried faces. He licked his lips uncertainly, an action that would normally send Marinette into fits because it was _so adorable_. But she was beginning to worry. He looked positively frightened as he looked at her. Nino nudged him gently.

"Dude? Ad, you alright bro?"

Adrien looked at him, his eyes clearing as he seemed to realise where he was.

"Uhm, y-yeah. Sorry Nino. I just- ahh. The joke was familiar, that's all. Surprised me."

He rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous breathy chuckle, his eyes flicking to meet Marinette's concerned gaze. And then he did the weirdest thing.

Adrien Agreste turned _pink_.

Marinette couldn't breathe as she watched the colour blossom across the tops of his cheeks, painting the pale skin the sweetest shade of pink she might ever have seen _in her life_.  
She might actually pass out.

She stared at him long after he looked away, muttering something about his book. He left his seat to retrieve it, sliding back onto the bench with his head down. He didn't look up for the rest of the lesson, scribbling furiously in his jotter and replying noncommittally whenever Nino tried to catch his attention.

Nino gave up, turning to work on puns with Alya and Marinette, though the latter wasn't much help. She spent the rest of the lesson like she'd spent so many before - especially in the year's beginning when she had been new to her crush on Adrien - staring at the back of his blonde head and wondering what was going on underneath those perfectly styled locks. Underneath his vivid green eyes.

Only _this_ time she wanted to know why on earth he had had such a strange and out of character reaction to a plain old terrible joke her partner had told her.

And _why_ he'd turned such a gorgeous shade of pink.


	2. Chapter 2

Woah, i was not expecting quite as much enthusiasm so very quickly!  
Yeeks!  
Here's Chapter Two for you. It's a little shorter, but i was a little excited.  
Waow. So many favouriters so very fast! You guys rule!

Happy reading!

* * *

 _Chapter Two_

Adrien had to remind himself to draw and release each breath. His heart was beating so hard he was actually afraid the others would hear. He stared down at his jotter, hardly daring to believe what had just happened. Nino was talking to him but he couldn't pay attention, his mind going at a million miles a minute.

 _She'd told his joke_.

Marinette had told _his_ joke.  
The one he told LadyBug last night.

 _The one he told LadyBug._

 _Last._

 _Night._

It was too much a coincidence for her to say she heard it last night. And she'd said it was him! Cat Noir! She knew it was a Cat Noir joke! If she'd said LadyBug had passed it on then he'd have believed it and it wouldn't have been a big deal but she'd claimed Cat Noir had stopped by and he hadn't had he?

He'd been nowhere near the Dupain-Cheng bakery as Cat Noir in over a fortnight.

He visited Marinette every now and then, had taken to doing so when life at home became too much. He would tap on her window and she would let him in, feeding him cookies and pastries and making them hot chocolate, or teasing him with a glass of milk.

He'd gotten to know her better in the mask than out of it because for whatever reason she didn't stutter around Cat Noir. She was relaxed and open, willing to talk about things she wouldn't with Adrien.  
Things his lady wouldn't let her guard down about even though his partner and he were closer every day.

He'd grown fond of Marinette and thought the feeling was mutual. The beginning stages perhaps, but in time…

She would flick his bell and laugh with him and sometimes even scratch behind his ear to tease him, giggling when he purred. She treated him with a level and wry sort of fondness, amused and brightened by his presence. He had begun to notice how she lit up when he tapped on her window, the softness in her voice when she comforted him on the bad nights, the reluctance that had begun to appear in her smile when she watched him vault back into the night. It was nice to be wanted, for his presence to be welcomed.

But he and LadyBug had been so busy with all the latest akuma attacks and his homework had been increasing in volume and he hadn't visited his classmate in a while.

 _Certainly_ not last night.

He could barely keep his eyes open this morning. It was becoming a regular occurrence with HawkMoth trying more and more often to steal their Miraculous'. They'd upped their patrol nights, doing five or six out of every seven. On top of homework it was a wonder he was getting any sleep at all.

How had he not noticed Marinette was so tired these past few weeks too?

Because it was so obvious now that he thought about it.  
All her excuses about starting a new design and having to stay up to finish it because she couldn't bear to leave it alone.  
All the mornings she had sipped coffee with Alya before class and yawned every time she said hello to Nino.

The days she had been so exhausted she barely had the energy to stutter around him or run away.

It was so incredibly obvious that he couldn't accept that he had been so incredibly _blind_.  
That _he_ , the one so desperate to discover his partner's identity, hadn't put all the clues together when they were right there in front of him the whole time.

Or behind him, to be precise.

His lady, his partner, his _Bugaboo._

She'd sat behind him all last year, hung out with him and Nino and Alya in the summer and now sat behind him _again_ in the first weeks of the new school year and he'd completely missed it.

He wanted to kick himself, and resisted the very intense urge to bang his head on the desk.  
 _He'd missed her completely and she was_ ** _right there_**.

How many times had he dropped by the bakery as Adrien and seen her confident prowess in the kitchen? How many times had he seen her scowl and hiss at Chloé when she was picking on one of their classmates?  
How many times had he dropped by _right after patrol_ and failed to notice that she seemed as breathless as he was, and just as tired?  
How could he have missed the fact that he had never seen her near LadyBug, never seen her when an akuma attacked and his partner appeared?

How could he not have recognised the bluebell eyes that met his gaze and danced away again _every single day_?

Oh God.  
His lady, the holder of his heart, couldn't even look at his civilian self.  
His heart fell.

He had never worked out Marinette's problem with him. Had always chalked it up to his celebrity status, or her awe/fear of his father and his family name. They were working on it and things _were_ getting better. They _were_. He spent time with her and sometimes she seemed to forget she was talking to _him_ and she would relax, talking animatedly or beating him at video games or showing him how to shape croissants _just right_.

And then she would come back to herself as if she'd realised it was him again and she'd get all edgy and stammer and the wall would come back up between them. Not as forcefully as she had in the beginning, but just as anxiously. Sometimes he worried that she was still dubious about his friendship because of the gum incident way back when they had first met. It hadn't been the best of meetings and it had gone so terribly he had worried he might never make friends with anybody.

But then the rain…  
He had tried to make amends and she had accepted his offering and he'd thought that _maybe_ they were going to be okay.

She was the first person he'd labelled a friend. Even before Nino, despite the boy's help that first day. Because there was something about her, something he desperately wanted to access. Something he wanted to bring out in her and all this time she had been the partner who saved his tail when they fought, who had scolded him so automatically that first fight when he had used his Cataclysm before realising he could only use it once.

He'd fallen for her _literally_ when she had dropped out of the sky, tangling them both in her yo-yo string and apologising as they hung from his Sabre in that street. He had watched her save Chloé and saw her scale the eiffel tower and he had fallen for her, swearing that no matter who was under that mask there was no way he _couldn't_ love her.

And she'd been Marinette the whole time.

The girl of quiet steel and righteous anger who couldn't string a sentence together when they spoke. The realisation made his heart flutter. To say he couldn't be happier just wouldn't cut it.

 _He was ecstatic!_

But a cold feeling settled in as his mind raced over his new information.

Despite how warmly Marinette always received Cat Noir, LadyBug spurned his advances and Marinette avoided Adrien whenever she could.

His love disliked _both_ sides of him.

It hurt worse than he could have thought.


	3. Chapter 3

_**(A/N):** Can i just say a huge thank you to you all! The response has been staggering, i have been totally overwhelmed by the interest this has received! Every comment makes my day. You guys are the best!_

 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Three_

It had been an incredibly unsettling week for Marinette. Adrien had been… _off_. She'd fallen asleep in at least one class for each of the last three days and by the time Friday rolled around she was desperate for a day where she could sleep in, spend hours in her pyjamas and just _relax_.

And possibly ponder Adrien's weird new behaviour. Alya and Nino had noticed too, of course. Nino shrugged every time Alya needled him for answers, sighing and telling them that the blonde just wouldn't talk about anything. Marinette was becoming worried, afraid that something bad had happened to him and he was scared to tell them. It sounded silly, so she hadn't yet shared her thoughts with Alya, but if he was still out of sorts on Monday she feared she might have to.

Or Nino. Nino would be able to ask Adrien for her, and he wouldn't tease her as much as Alya would.

Marinette yawned as she stepped out of her LadyBug costume. She'd had Tikki change her to call Cat Noir. She'd called off patrol, claiming she was busy but in truth she was bone-tired and hopeful that the night would be as quiet as it usually was. She dropped onto her bed with a sigh, grateful for the embrace of her duvet. Tikki was tired too, and after munching on half of the cookie Marinette had given her she'd curled up on Marinette's pillow and fallen asleep.

Marinette was close to joining her when she heard the familiar tapping on the glass pane of her window.

Despite how exhausted she was, how stressed about the increased attacks and how anxious about Adrien she felt, she was smiling before she'd even raised her head. Tikki made her way into her usual hiding spot in Marinette's extra sock drawer. She had a nest of sorts made up in there. Marinette petted Tikki's sleepy head before she threw open the window, the gentle rush of cool air at least waking her up a little.

"Hello, Mari."

There he was. She tried to look stern but she couldn't hide her grin.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

He held a hand over his heart, feigning hurt.

"Me-owch! Is that how you feel about my visits?"

Truthfully?

No way.

Marinette could feel the truth on her face as she stepped aside to let him drop silently through the window.

"You know the answer to that." she retorted, feeling a little vulnerable still when admitting things like that to him.

He chuckled, his eyes bright as he stood before her.

"It's nice to be welcome." he sniffed, but he was smiling too.

Marinette rolled her eyes and flicked his bell. The sound was soft and tinkly in the darkness.

"You're such a house cat."

He made a disapproving noise but followed her as she made her way over to her desk, sitting in his favourite chair - the one Adrien always chose when _he_ visited too - and letting his eyes travel over the desktop contents. He didn't bother to hide his interest any more, and Marinette had long since grown out of hiding things from him. As nervous as she always felt showing her designs to Alya and Nino and Adrien, she wasn't with her partner.

He purred appreciatively at a coat design that was in the process of being born, the outlines trailing and ending, teasing in their possibilities.

"Im _purr_ essive as always, i see."

Marinette hummed distractedly, trying to remember where she'd sat the tupperware tub of cookies she'd brought up. She could hear her partner flipping papers as she hunted, hear him making the pleased little noises he so often did. She was wondering what he'd think of the bottom page of designs, the ones inspired by _him_ , when she finally located the tub under the jumper she'd thrown over it.

She turned triumphantly, eyes finding him as she grinned and held the box up for him to see. But Noir was holding a page in his claws, as gently as she'd ever seen him hold anything, and his green eyes were wide. She watched his expression, feeling anxious worry squirming in her stomach. It was nothing compared to the worry she'd been feeling over Adrien but it was significant enough to give her pause.

She liked her partner like _that_ a lot more than she cared to admit. His opinion had the ability to truly hurt her. And she knew it.

She watched his face as she sat back down, biting her lip. He looked… odd. He looked nervous, unsure, confused… _worried?_ Cat was always so confident, it was unusual to see him like this. She put the box on the desk and craned to look at what he'd found.

It was one of her dress designs, one of the rare ones that wasn't flooded with colour. Marinette liked colours; light and pastel, vivid and living. She had to hold back on the red when she first became LadyBug, so excited by the thought of her costume that she kept straying and over-using it.

The dress on the page in Cat's hands was pitch black, like his suit. It had a sweetheart neckline, and a stiff high collar like his. There was a touch of black lace along the neckline, and nestled in the point where the two sides met was a tiny gold bell, sewn on with a black velvet ribbon. The dress fell to knee-length, only the barest hint of shape, elegant and mysterious like Cat Noir himself.

And to top off the whole thing there was a vivid green ribbon at the base of the bodice, as green as Cat's eyes, as green as his famous paw print. She had toyed with idea of red but dismissed it. It was a thick and eye-catching satin ribbon, and in the side-sketches Marinette had sketched the bow it would tie into. On the back of the dress were a line of small silver buttons, each shaped painstakingly into little paw prints and dotted in the centre with green.

Marinette had spent a good few weeks perfecting the design, hiding it away until she felt ready for him to _discover_ it on her desk. She bit her lip and looked up at him, knowing she shouldn't feel quite so nervous and yet terrified he wouldn't like it. He blinked, staring at the drawing for another moment before he finally met her eyes.

" _Wow_." he breathed, looking back down at the dress.

"You like it?" she managed to squeak, scolding herself for feeling so silly and yet worried he wouldn't like it at all.

She'd gotten material, ready to start making it, and if he didn't like it… Well she probably wouldn't make it. Such a thing surprised her because as shy and docile as Marinette truly was, she'd never let other people decide what she did or didn't create. Cat's opinion meant more than it should, and she didn't want to think about why.

"Mari… It's…"

His voice sounded funny, and Marinette felt crestfallen.

"You don't like it?" she whispered, trying not to show how surprisingly upset that made her feel.

"No." he breathed, looking up at her with those glowing green eyes. "I _love_ it."

Marinette grinned, flush from top to toe in a dizzying pride. Cat was smiling at her softly, the way he looked at LadyBug so often, and Marinette felt her cheeks heat up.

"I- ahh. Thank you." she tried, attempting to sound calm even though inside she was cheering.

Cat Noir just smiled again, and set down the design very carefully on her desk. His gaze lingered on it and he looked pleased, and Marinette felt like she had accomplished something great. The work she'd put in had paid off, despite the hours of sleep she had missed out on. When Cat turned towards her again he surprised her, drawing her into a hug before she knew what was going on.

"I'm honoured, Princess, to be the inspiration for your brilliant mind."

Marinette blushed properly that time, scarlet and nervous. But she hugged him back, surprised he'd done such a thing and yet pleased too. She was far more fond of him than she was telling even herself, and it was proven when he drew back and she missed his touch.

"You're brilliant yourself, Cat." she smiled, before rolling her eyes at his grin. "In your own, annoying way."

Cat sniffed, but his eyes were twinkling.

"You'd rather i was a well-behaved house cat?"

Marinette cocked her head to one side, pretending to look at him thoughtfully. He raised an eyebrow. She hummed teasingly.

"Weeell…"

Cat feigned insult again, but underneath it Marinette could see the real nervousness in his eyes, something she had never ever expected to see in Cat. And yet she'd been seeing it for months, that trepidation. She'd come to the conclusion that perhaps her fierce and bubbly partner was as nervous under his mask as she was. She reached over to flick his bell, and his smile chased away the look in his eyes.

"I guess not." she giggled. "Although it might be nice to have a nice quiet cat around who doesn't cause trouble."

He laughed with her, and then that cheeky look she knew so well was in his eyes, warning her that a taunt was coming. And he didn't disappoint.

"You just want to have me around more often."

She snorted, flashing him a look as she grabbed a cookie.

"You wish, pussycat."

In an instant, Cat's manner changed. He seemed to shrink, all traces of his bold confidence gone in a matter of seconds. His ears flicked a little to the side and he bit his lip. Before Marinette could even ask what was wrong he was out of his chair and across the room.

"Cat?"

"I- uhm. I have to go."

"Wait-"

She chased him but he was _Cat Noir_. By the time she'd gotten to the window he was out of it and when she reached the balcony he was gone. She felt an uneasy feeling settle in her stomach as she looked out into the darkness and saw no trace of him. She leaned on the balcony to look over, knowing she wouldn't find him. He was swift and fast, he'd be long gone.

She sighed, feeling sadder than she expected to, and she knew that at some point she was going to have to deal with the feelings she was juggling, with the way Cat made her feel. Because she still loved Adrien, didn't she? And yet…

Urghh, this was way too complicated. And now she had her partner to worry about, wondering why he'd run off on her. She teased him all the time, _pussycat_ was one of her regular nicknames for him. He'd never reacted like that before.

"Oh, Cat…"

What had she done to cause such a reaction? What had she said?


	4. Chapter 4

_**(A/N):** Ohmygosh, all your responses and excitement has gotten me all psyched up about this! Here's Chapter Four, and it's a bit longer but i couldn't break it up, so uhm. Well, here's to uneven. Like my life, haha!  
Every Comment makes my day, criticism is welcomed and i adore hearing what you like or don't like!  
Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Four_

"Hey, Girl. You can't be tired out already, the week hasn't even started yet!"

Marinette raised her head from her arms and looked up, giving Alya a wan smile.

"I'm not tired, just…."

She trailed off, shrugging. She didn't know what she was exactly. Well, that wasn't true. She was… _sad_. Thankfully they'd had a weekend uninterrupted by akuma attacks, so Marinette had caught up on her sleep, finished all her homework and still managed to have time to spend with her parents. But she felt no better now than she had when Cat Noir had run off on her on Friday.

"Just what?" Nino asked, setting his rucksack down and looking up at her with concerned eyes.

Adrien was with him, seemingly lost in thought.

"Just…"

Marinette shrugged half-heartedly, looking down at her desk as she rolled her pencil across it. She hadn't even been able to call Cat as LadyBug because that would mean giving away the fact that _she_ was LadyBug. By Sunday she'd considered doing it anyway, and trying to say Marinette had told her, but she didn't dare risk it.

"Not feeling too great, that's all."

She looked up and gave them a half-hearted attempt at a smile. Half-hearted. Half-hearted was how she was feeling. She'd just have to hope he came back. She refused to hope that an akuma would attack, but she _was_ acutely aware of the fact that she'd see him if there was.

"You're not getting sick are you? You know how ill you get, even when it's just a cold or something."

Nino sounded worried, and Alya made a noise of agreement, reaching over to feel Marinette's forehead. Marinette sighed, but when she smiled again it was a much warmer expression. Her friends were concerned about her and despite how crappy and anxious she felt about Cat Noir's behaviour they made her feel a little better.

"I'm not ill, just… I don't know. Sad i guess. Mopey."

Alya gasped in feigned shock, clutching at her heart to make the others laugh.

"Marinette moping? Whatever's the world coming to?"

Marinette managed to chuckle, giving her friend a half-hearted shove.

"Oh shut up. I don't mope that much."

Alya giggled, her eyes glittering as she glanced at Adrien and back at Marinette, knowingly. Marinette turned a little pink and looked away.

"So what are you sad about, Mari?"

Marinette had forgotten Adrien was there, despite Alya's eye-work. She looked at him shyly, noticing he still seemed down like he had all last week. And yet here he was, concerned about her and asking why she was sad. Her heart melted and her breathing picked up. She tried not to stumble over her words too much, the melancholy feeling in her stomach levelling out her embarrassment somewhat.

"I… uhm. I had- ahh. I sort of fell out with a friend, i think. Maybe. He- well, i don't know exactly what i did but he's… pretty upset with me, i guess."

Adrien was looking at her funny again, the way he had when the four of them had lunch on Thursday. It made her uncomfortable and yet at the same time made her wish she was brave enough to ask him what was wrong. What was going on in that head of his?

"Who? What did you fall out over?"

Alya was always so nosey. Marinette dropped her gaze to her hands again, giving another shrug.

"I- I don't know. He just… Seemed _off_ , you know?" Off like Adrien was being lately. Maybe it was contagious. "Like he wasn't himself. And he was upset about something but i don't know what i _did_."

"Wait, go back. Who did you fall out with? If he won't tell you we'll get him to talk, Girl!"

Alya. So upbeat, so positive. Nothing ever got her down. Marinette shot her a wry smile of thanks.

"He… He doesn't go here. You, ahh… You don't know him, really."

Alya's eyes were gleaming at the thought of something to investigate and Marinette began to wish she'd kept her mouth shut and just told them she was feeling sick.

"Oh." said Nino. "That's a shame dude, we might've been able to help you out."

Marinette smiled at him, shaking her head.

"That's okay. I'm sure he'll be back to himself soon." She smiled softly at the thought. "He sort of bounces back like that, you know?"

Nino was nodding and Adrien was looking at her intensely again, so she avoided his gaze lest she make a fool of herself. Alya laughed, nudging Marinette playfully.

"What's his name? How come we've never heard of him? New friend?"

Marinette laughed, feeling better already. The combination of her friends and the knowledge that Cat was _always_ okay had lifted her mood. She opened her sketchbook and fiddled with a design she was working on as she thought of how to answer Alya's question.

"Not a new friend, not really. We, uhh, _met_ last year. He's… We have like… favourite activities in common and we sort of hit it off."

Activities like saving Paris and running across rooftops at night. Hah.

"What's he like?"

Marinette felt her face heat, and tried hard not to think about the implications behind Alya's question. She doodled absently, and she wasn't really aware of the smile creeping across her face. She kept her eyes down. Looking at her page made it easier to answer.

Keeping her eyes down meant she didn't see the way Alya and Nino were exchanging a _look_ , or the way that Adrien was biting his lip and looking at her with soft, nervous eyes.

"He's different." she said simply, shrugging again.

"Different how?" Nino asked, Adrien silently thanking him.

He was desperate to know what she _really_ thought about him. The things she might not say to Cat's face. He watched the way Marinette's smile grew, hope fluttering in his chest.

"Different _annoying_. Like, everything's a joke and he's the biggest prankster ever. He's optimistic and nothing ever gets to him, you know? When it does it's _big_ , but he's so cheerful. He thinks he's hilarious, but in reality his jokes are only funny because they're _not_."

She thought of the way Cat matched her pace on patrol, the way he always knew where she'd be in a fight. The way he just seemed to understand her without thought.

"He always knows what i'm thinking. And he always makes me feel better when stuff goes wrong. He… He's just special. He jokes about how great he is all the time but i don't think he really believes it."

There was a quiet moment where Marinette realised she'd said way too much. She couldn't lift her eyes, pretending to focus on her sketch as her cheeks turned red. The others were looking at her and she could feel their eyes. Eventually, it was Nino who broke the quiet.

"He sounds cool, Nett."

She ducked her head, feeling silly and exposed.

"Yeah, he's pretty brilliant."

"He _does_ sound cool." Alya said thoughtfully, and Marinette could practically hear her brain working, a foreboding feeling creeping over her. "It also sounds like you have a crush on him."

Marinette's head came up so fast she heard it click. Alya was grinning at her the way she did when she teased her about her crush on Adrien, and Marinette could feel the burn as her blush deepened. She shot her friend a glare. It didn't matter that Alya _might_ be _slightly_ right. Only a bit.

"I do _not_." she grumbled, crossing her arms in a sulk.

Alya just giggled, bumping her knuckles against Nino's as Marinette sunk lower in her chair.

"Oh you _do_! It's written all over your _face_!"

Marinette closed her eyes, wishing the ground would swallow her up. She didn't need this. She _really_ didn't need this. And in front of _Adrien_ as well! He'd think… _Alya_!

"Alya, _please_. I do not."

"Oh, you so do. What's his name?"

Marinette bit her lip. How to reply? Alya was always good at telling when she was lying. _Shoot_.

"Ahh… I… don't know, exactly." she hedged.

"What!?"

Alya's screech started them all, Adrien and Nino grumbling about volume as Marinette covered her ears and shot the girl a reprimanding look.

"We… We use code names."

That was true, technically. They _did_ call each other by their superhero labels. Alya looked completely flummoxed, staring at her with wide eyes. Marinette's mind raced to find a possible way out. How to explain that one?

 _Oh_.

"We talk online?" she tried, looking between the boys to see if they believed her. "We… haven't told each other who we are yet."

Skating very close to the truth there.

"Online pen pals. _Neat_." breathed Nino, his eyes approving.

Marinette nodded quickly, latching on to his guess.

"Yeah. Exactly. We- We talk online and we use screen names."

"And you don't know him in real life?"

Alya asked the question as though such a thing was just plain _wrong_. Marinette tried not to feel defensive, and she was instantly reminded of Cat's comment in her room. He'd been pretty sure she wouldn't like his civilian self, and she knew that was wrong.

"No. We don't have any idea who the other is. It's sort of our… deal."

Alya was nodding, and Marinette felt relieved. She was going to buy it. She was taking the lie. Thank god. Marinette let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in, smiling at them all again. Adrien was smiling, the first time she'd seen him do so in days, and before she could think about it Marinette was smiling shyly back.

"So he doesn't go to school here?" Alya asked.

Marinette opened her mouth to say no, before she realised that she had no idea. There were several high schools in Paris. Cat Noir could attend any of them. She frowned.

"Well, i don't know that he _doesn't_ , but probably not. We don't really talk about our… _real_ lives."

Well, technically a total lie and a truth at the same time. As LadyBug, she didn't. But when Cat visited _Marinette,_ she talked about almost everything.

"But he could." Nino asked thoughtfully.

"Oh my god, you guys could know each other in real life and not even know it!"

Alya sounded far too enthusiastic about that, and Marinette rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I doubt it." she replied, smiling at Alya's crazy arm-waving. "I think i'd know it was him."

"How?" Alya frowned, looking at her far too seriously for this time in the morning.

"Well…" Marinette started, looking between them all for inspiration. "I guess i just would."

That much was true. For one, bad puns would be his weakness, not to mention his flirting. Cat was such a boisterous, energetic person there was no way he could hide from her if she knew his civilian self. She smiled again, the thought of him brightening her up.

"I mean, there's nobody like him anywhere. He'd be really hard to miss."

"Girl, have you got it _bad_!"

Marinette rolled her eyes, thanking the heavens that she could hear the clicking of the teacher's heels as she made her way along the corridor.

"He's just a really good friend, okay?"

" _You_ said he was brilliant." smirked Nino. Clearly Alya was a bad influence on him.

"And you're _blushing_ , Marinette." Alya agreed.

Marinette rested her chin on her hands, and shook her head firmly.

"I _don't_ have a crush on him, okay? Give it up."

"Uh- _huh_. And that's just on his online self, imagine how big a crush you could have on him _in person_! Ohhh, this is like a love story! You should ask to meet him!"

Marinette groaned, dropping her head into her arms.

"Alya, please drop it. I _don't_ know him in real life. And i don't plan to, either. I… I like things like this, just now."

Alya made a dismissive noise before Marinette heard Nino speak again, his voice quiet and clearly only meant for them.

"Yo, maybe she's worried she won't like him off-screen. People are different online, you of all people should know that. We get to be brave there, dude. It's different in real life."

Marinette looked up, Nino's words catching her interest. It was almost like he knew, his comment was spookily accurate. She was braver as LadyBug, wasn't she? And she was able to be a little more confident around Cat because she was used to being confident around him as LadyBug.

"It's sort of that." she said.

She was wondering at the same time if Cat was different out of the mask too. He must be, but would it be different enough for her not to recognise him? After all, she wasn't much like LadyBug, now was she? Cat would probably be incredibly disappointed to find out that his brave partner was just _her_ ; boring, clumsy Marinette.

"And also not like that. I mean, i _know_ i'd like him uhm… _off-screen_. He'd still be _him_ you know? But uhh, well. I get to be brave, like you said. It's… different."

She knew she'd like Cat's civilian self, because she loved Cat as a best friend and she _liked_ him too. Who knew, maybe he'd be less annoying and flirty? Hah. Not likely.

"You're just scared he won't like _you_ in real life." Alya snorted playfully.

She was throwing Marinette a teasing, knowing look and Marinette felt a blind second of panic before remembering that there was no _way_ that Alya could know she was LadyBug. Nobody knew. And it was sort of true, wasn't it? Cat would be... Well, she didn't know how disappointed would he be to find out that _his lady_ was just... her. She didn't want to think about it. It didn't matter anyway. He liked _LadyBug_. Marinette was just his friend. She smiled.

"Well. Maybe." she admitted nervously, scowling when Alya giggled. "Shut _up_."

But she was laughing, exasperated and amused and feeling too cheered up to be mad at their teasing. When she looked up Alya and Nino looked totally unconvinced, sending her eerily similar knowing smiles. She shot them a look of feigned disappointment, but they just laughed.

"He'd be an idiot not to like you in real life." said Adrien suddenly.

He smiled shyly when his friends turned in surprise. He shrugged and dropped his gaze, _and was he turning a little bit pink?_

"What? Marinette's pretty cool. I don't know what she's like _online_ , but who wouldn't like her the way she is now?"

Marinette thought she might melt into a puddle right then and there, words disappearing from her brain as she flushed red. Adrien had said-

 _Ohmygod he'd said-_

Oh God Girl, _breathe!_

His words replayed in her head as she felt her heart racing. Nino and Alya were making noises of agreement and making her feel loved but Marinette couldn't take her eyes from Adrien. When he looked up at her she swallowed, and he smiled that soft, shy smile at her again. If she died right then she'd go to heaven happy.

And then the teacher was in the room, calling for quiet and setting up something by her desk, and Marinette was relieved that it gave her an excuse to hide her face and try to calm herself down as she hunted through her bag for her things.

When she looked up from digging out her textbook Adrien was looking at her over his shoulder, his eyes bright and he was _smiling_. And somehow, though she had _no_ idea how, she could tell that he was letting her know he was pleased she wasn't sad any more.

When she blinked in surprise he'd turned back to face the front and Marinette was left trying to pay attention to the teacher and _failing_ spectacularly. Because the image of Adrien's smile was so much more appealing to think about.


	5. Chapter 5

_**(A/N):** 3 Updates in one day. I clearly can't control myself. As always, you guys rule and your comments make my day._  
 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Five_

LadyBug was awkward around him on Patrol. Not enough that he found her behaviour weird enough to mention, but enough for him to notice. Now that he knew she was Marinette he couldn't help but compare them, finding LadyBug to be so much like his classmate that it was a wonder that he had never noticed.

Her eyes held the same beautiful fire, her teasing the same sweet bite that he received when he visited the bakery. It felt unbearably unfair that he now knew that both of the girls who had staked claim on his heart were the _same girl_ and yet he was terrified of telling her because… Because she didn't like _Adrien_.

And it didn't matter that Cat was more of who he was than his perfect model son act. He'd spent his whole life behaving the way his father expected, being good at his studies and well-mannered, polite… And yet who he _really_ was, the fun spirit that had lived in him from childhood, the traits he'd inherited from his soft-hearted mother only appeared when he wore his mask. It was the only time he was brave enough to let it show. That was his _true_ identity.

It seemed some form of cruel irony that the very thing the mask was supposed to hide was only revealed when it was in place.

But Adrien was who he was in life, when he had to take off his mask and go back to being… Well, him. The him who was perfectly well-behaved because he was too afraid to be who he truly wanted to be. He wanted to be like LadyBug, like Marinette. Confident, and sure of who she was. True, Marinette stumbled over her words around him, and sometimes she tripped over things, but when it counted she was fierce and brave. Protective of the wronged, unafraid to stand up to the tyranny of people like Chloé.

Adrien couldn't even find the courage to tell Chloé to stop hanging on his arm every day, and yet Marinette could scream at her when she was bullying Mylène.

He watched her come to a halt, alighting on the rooftop like the guardian of Paris that she was. She looked back at him and smiled. He leapt the distance, coming to a graceful stop beside her and straightening up. He threw an arm over her shoulders before he'd thought about it, and she smirked and ducked from under it with a chuckle, her eyes flashing with the playfulness he loved.

She'd never start their games, but she rarely put up much of a fight any more. They'd come too close now for her too keep _all_ her walls up. She cocked her head, her stance relaxed, but Cat knew she was waiting.

He leapt.

She dodged with a giggle, and it was _on_. He chased her across the rooftop, following her as she swung to the next, her laughter floating back to him on the night air. He was grinning, feeling better than he had in days, and when he caught her his triumphant yowl was louder than he'd meant.

She fell with a screech, rolling as he hooked his arm around her to try and stop her getting away. She was laughing, the sound free and joyful as he laughed too. He almost had her when she flipped them, pinning him down and flicking his bell before diving away, her yo-yo out to swing her further in the direction of the tower.

He followed.

They wrestled and chased each other for the second half of their patrol, elated in the darkness and joyful in each other's company. When they were finally out of breath and sitting at the very top of the tower Cat threw his arm around her again. And she let him, resting her cheek on his shoulder as she giggled and gasped for air. It wasn't a romantic embrace but a fond one they'd grown into when she had begun to lower her barriers. It was one Cat loved.

"You are a terrible influence, Chaton." she gasped between giggles, turning her shining blue eyes on him.

He gave her a wide-eyed look before attempting haughty. The image was somewhat ruined by the fact that he was red from exertion and still catching his breath.

"I have no idea what you mean, milady."

She giggled.

"Sure you don't."

He didn't reply, but made sure she saw his exaggerated eye-roll. She just laughed at him.

"You wound me."

"Uh-huh. Of course i do."

"Hmph."

She chuckled, leaning against his side and sighing as she looked down at the city laid before them like a trader's wares on his blanket.

"It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful Paris can be." she breathed.

He couldn't help it. It was too good an opening to pass up.

"And yet it never surpasses you." he purred, brushing his cheek against her hair.

Where once she would have groaned - okay, so usually she still did - LadyBug just snorted and butted her head against his neck.

"You're as bad as ever."

He drew back to give her his smirk, the one that had always annoyed her but made Marinette blush now, and when he did he watched her roll her eyes. But she was biting her lip too, he could see, and her mask didn't hide _all_ of her blush. He chuckled, elated. When she looked back at him suspiciously he merely grinned wider. She shoved him then, groaning loudly.

"You, Chaton, will be the death of me."

He merely grinned, and she sighed. But she was smiling, however much she tried not to be. It was far too soon when she got up, unhooking her yo-yo and looping the string between her fingers. He knew it was his cue to get up too and he would, but he hid his disappointment poorly. She gave him a smile that betrayed how reluctant she was to go too.

How had he not realised that smile was exactly the one Marinette had been giving him every time he had to leave?

He had been so very blind.

She offered her hand and he accepted, letting her pull him up before he brushed his lips across her knuckles. She took her hand back, but not in the sudden way she used to before. She looked at him with fond eyes and he opened his mouth to confess right then and there that he knew, before she had thrown out her yo-yo.

"Goodnight, Chaton." she murmured, and they shared a smile before she swung off into the night.

Now that he knew she was Marinette he gave her time to get home, standing on the tower top and breathing in the sweetness of the air. He was nervous to visit her as Marinette. It seemed ridiculous, she was the same girl and yet when she wasn't in her costume he got butterflies like you wouldn't believe.

The experience of being with Marinette, in Marinette's room, when she was relaxed and pleased to see him was an entirely different feeling from when they sat side by side on rooftops. He didn't know exactly what it was, but he could guess it might be the way she welcomed his presence, as though being out of her costume meant she could allow him a little closer, let him into her world.

And his heart had been swaying dangerously for months, his evenings with Marinette beginning to worry him that they might outshine his moments with LadyBug. To find out they'd been the same girl the whole time had been nothing short of a tremendous relief. For he had betrayed neither, nor betrayed his own morals.

Instead of falling in love with two girls at once he'd simply fallen for the same one twice. It was laughable.

He landed on the balcony railing like he had a hundred times before; silent and graceful. He slipped onto the balcony, and peered through her window. Marinette sat at her desk, a sketch in front of her and a pencil between her fingers like she almost always had. But she was staring off into space, his eyes focused on a spot on her wall and a soft smile dancing across her lips.

He wondered what she was thinking about to smile like that, and suddenly the nervousness was back. Her words from that morning returned and Cat found himself unsure whether he could do this.

 _He's special._

 _He's pretty brilliant._

 _There's nobody like him anywhere._

His throat went dry. He hadn't considered Alya's teasing much at the time, too busy loving the way that Marinette looked when she talked about his alter ego, liking the way that she seemed so much happier than she had just moment earlier. She had brushed off Alya's teasing, and she had been shy, blushing Marinette, but now he wondered whether…

Could Alya have been right? Was that why she was so red today?

His heart was suddenly racing and his palms were sweaty. He stared at her and felt his cocky, confident persona disappearing. He couldn't do this, he couldn't face her he was- He was-

 _He was so in love with her that he couldn't breathe._

The revelation made his head spin. He had no idea how he was ever going to face her again. But the thought of leaving…

He swallowed, and gave himself a shake. He could do this, he was _Cat Noir_ for pete's sake. He fought akumas for a living, and he did it _for fun_. He could talk to Marinette. He had to anyway, he owed her an apology for running off on Friday just because he'd gotten afraid she didn't want him around. She _did_ want him to visit, she had said so hadn't she?

And yet when she had answered his tease about being around more often with a skeptical look and _You wish, pussycat_ … He'd freaked. He'd felt so insecure about his growing attraction and taken her tease seriously and he'd felt so out of place and he liked her so much that _Adrien_ had gotten the better of him and he'd fled like a coward.

She deserved an explanation. He'd heard the startled upset in her voice as she'd called after him. He owed her that much. He squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and tapped his usual greeting on the glass.

Her head whipped around and her eyes met his and she _grinned_ so beautifully it took his breath away.

" _Cat_." she breathed, and even with the window closed his ear could hear the fondness in her voice.

When she'd opened the window he dropped inside, and had to stop himself from fidgeting with his hands. He met her blue eyes and despite his nerves her smile made its way through the air and onto his face too.

"Hey, Princess. I owe you an apology."

In reply Marinette simply sighed, and threw her arms around his neck. As she hugged him she spoke into his shoulder, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"I'm so glad you came back."


	6. Chapter 6

_**(A/N):** I wasn't actually going to write the next Chapter as an instant continuation, but people seem keen on some Marichat, so uhm… Let the fluff continue!  
_ _As always your comments make my day, and response is over-whelming!_

 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Six_

Her head whipped around at the familiar tapping, and a flash of excitement tingled over her skin when she saw him.

" _Cat_." she breathed, getting up to let him in.

When she'd opened the window he dropped inside, and she couldn't bite back her grin. He'd come back! He'd come back! She looked up at him and he smiled back at her and Marinette felt happier than she had in days. Even though she'd been ecstatic during patrol it was so nice to know he wanted to visit her as boring _Marinette_ too!

"Hey, Princess. I owe you an apology."

Marinette breathed out a sigh and drew him into a hug before she'd even thought about it, far too happy that he'd come to visit to care about being soppy.

"I'm so glad you came back." she mumbled into his shoulder.

He chuckled, and she drew back to grin at the sound. His green eyes were bright and twinkling and Marinette finally relaxed. _He looked happy again_. He was smiling shyly, a smile that looked vaguely familiar. A smile that made her stomach fill with butterfly wings.

"Did my _Purr_ incess miss her knight in shining… uhm, leather?"

His ears did the side-droop that made her melt and he laughed sheepishly. She rolled her eyes and punched his elbow playfully, making him yelp before his familiar smirk wound its way onto his lips.

"Course i did you silly feline." she mumbled, suddenly feeling so much less confident when he looked at her like _that_.

 _That_ was the way he looked at LadyBug. _Not_ the way he looked at _Marinette_. Her heart had begun to patter, her face going warm. His green eyes were locked on hers and he leaned in until their faces were close. All traces of his shyness were gone, he was cocky and flirty and giving her _that look_ and Marinette found she couldn't move away.

"You've gone _red_ , Marinette." he teased.

His voice was low and intimate and Marinette felt every feeling she had ever felt for him battling to the surface as he stepped closer. She couldn't scrape together anything more than a small, surprised squeak. Cat chuckled lowly. They were almost nose to nose. She could feel the soft warmth of his breath ghosting over her cheek as he looked at her from under his hooded eyes and she felt her knees going weak. He was _so close_ and her brain was fried.

She swallowed, _hard_. And instantly wished she hadn't, because Cat's gaze flicked from her eyes down to meet her lips before he looked up again and she knew exactly what he was thinking. She had seen that look before, and she was utterly thrown by the intensity of it because in all the moments she had seen it over the year of their partnership it had never held such _heat_.

"Mari…" he breathed and she was lost.

Her eyelids felt heavy, and they'd fluttered closed without command, his nose brushing against hers and making her bite her lip to keep back the sigh that wanted to escape. Cat's arms had appeared around her. One rested gently around her waist while the other hand found the nape of her neck. She could barely breathe, anticipation dancing deliciously through her like electricity. _Cat was going to_ -

The noise made her jerk, her eyes flying open as Cat flinched away from her. _Music_. Alya's favourite song was playing? What in the world… _Her phone_! Alya was phoning her. She dove for the little device still nestled in the fabric of her pillow where she'd thrown it when she'd gotten home. Her heart was battering against her ribcage and she was gasping for air like she'd fought an akuma, run patrol and had double P.E. all at once.

"Hello?" she gasped, hearing her friend answer in surprise.

"What? No- I- ahh." she broke off to catch her breath, very careful not to look at the black form who still stood where they'd been standing, where she'd been _waiting_ for him to- Oh God she'd been waiting on _a kiss from Cat Noir_!

"Still here. Sorry. No, i had to run to answer it i- What? _No!_ " She flushed from head to toe. "I _do not have a boy in my-_ Oh my _God_ Alya! I- What? Uhm, now- yeah, i- uhm!"

She whirled to meet Cat's gaze, making shooing motions as the panic set in. He got the message, disappearing through the window at the same time the trapdoor to her bedroom banged open and Alya stepped through.

"Gods, Girl you are _red_! Where is he? _Who_ is he? You- It's not Adrien, right? Oh my god is it- Did you meet the boy from online? Oh my god, is he in the bathroom right now?"

Alya's voice was growing in volume and pitch and Marinette threw her hands up to silence her. Despite how surprised she was and how weak and trembly she was feeling from… Whatever that had been with Cat Noir she laughed. It was giddy and sounded a little mad but she laughed more when she heard it.

"There's _nobody_ here, Alya. I promise."

Aly narrowed her eyes, her gaze flicking towards the closed bathroom door. Marinette's confidence returned and she waved her arms dramatically in the direction of her friend's suspicions.

"See for yourself."

Alya almost ran over, tugging the door open as though anybody hiding inside might have time to disappear into thin air. She looked disappointed when she turned back around to look at Marinette.

"There's nobody in the closet either." Marinette chuckled, plopping herself down on her bed. "Or under the bed, but you're welcome to check."

Alya looked at her thoughtfully, suspicion still bright in her brown eyes before she dove past Marinette and towards the window to the balcony. Marinette's heart missed a beat. _Shoot_. She raced after Alya, heart in her throat as she made it onto the balcony. She swung her head around, hoping he'd had enough sense to leave and biting back the sigh of relief when she could see no sign of him. Alya was standing with her hands on her hips and she turned to shoot Marinette a disappointed look.

"Aw _jeez_. I was so hoping you were hiding him from me. You really need to think about meeting him you know, especially if you like him as much as you sound like you do."

Marinette opened her mouth to protest, ignoring the blush she felt staining her cheeks, but Alya chuckled and continued, finally giving Marinette a hug hello.

"You never know. You might fall harder for him than you have for Adrien, and then you could get over him."

Marinette sighed, swatting half-heartedly at her friend.

"You don't need to announce it to whole of Paris, Alya."

Alya flashed her a wicked smirk.

"You mean i don't need to announce it to anybody who might be creeping around Paris at night. Like a certain cat-like superhero you're _also_ totally crushing on, considering you talk about him in your sleep..."

Marinette's thoughts jumped instantly to the position she had been in mere minutes before, Cat's arms around her, his face _so so close_. Close enough to- She shook her head fiercely and shoved Alya towards the window.

"Shut up. You're always looking for mysteries and conspiracies where there aren't any, Alya. It's not good for you."

She followed her spluttering friend back into her room, closing the window with a click and hoping Cat wouldn't come back again that night. Because Alya dropping by so late meant she was probably planning to stay. And the last thing she needed was her flirtatious partner dropping into her bedroom in the middle of the night and surprising her journalist of a best friend. The thought was not something Marinette wanted to consider.

Little did she know that a pair of very sensitive feline ears had heard every word from their owner's hiding spot on the adjacent rooftop.


	7. Chapter 7

_**(A/N):** Sorry it's so short! But the next Chapter is Adrien!_  
 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Seven_

Marinette arrived at school not only on time the next morning, but with time to kill. The perk - or pitfall - of having to share her bed with her starfish of a best friend.

"Morning, Nett!"

Marinette grinned, covering her yawn as she waved back.

"Hey Nino." Her eyes flickered to the blonde by his side. "Uhm. G-Good Morning, Adrien."

"Hi, Mari." he breathed, turning soft green eyes on her.

It did funny things to her insides and she turned pink, looking away shyly. Nino and Alya were bickering over something already, and Marinette let her thoughts wander as she stood beside her friends.

"How, uhm. H-How are you?"

She looked up in surprise. Adrien was looking at her warily, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in an incredibly familiar way. He looked… _off_ again, but different this time. Not as worryingly. Yet, anyway.

"Oh." Marinette said. "I- I'm okay. I mean, i- ahh. I'm good, actually."

He smiled at her.

"Good."

She smiled back, feeling wonderful just _talking_ to him. How bad could a day be if that was how it started? Even when the conversation turned to their Maths test it didn't damper her mood. Alya was teasing Nino because Nino was pretty good at Maths - the perk of having Adrien for a best friend - and Nino was teasing her back because she was bad at it. Adrien and Marinette ended up as giggling mediators, a common occurrence in their group, especially now that Nino knew Alya _liked_ him and Alya knew Nino liked _her_.

They hadn't made it official yet, something Marinette found incredibly amusing considering how much encouragement Alya was always giving her to spill to Adrien. And now the _online boy_ too. Jeez, was there so little to interest them all that her love life - or lack thereof - was such a constant source of discussion?

"So are you coming tonight, Nett? It'll be _wicked_ bro."

She tuned back into their conversation, blinking at Nino as she tried to catch up. Aly rolled her eyes and laughed but Nino merely smiled.

"Such a daydreamer." Alya teased, and Marinette stuck her tongue out very maturely in reply.

"Sorry, Nino. What's tonight?"

" _Dude!_ My house? For the gaming tournament? We talked about it last week, but you were all sleepy all the time. You'll still come though, right?"

Marinette bit her lip. She had patrol that night, and with several days without an attack she was expecting one any time. But Nino looked so crestfallen that she'd forgotten, and when he stuck out his bottom lip she couldn't say no. She was a sucker, and she knew it.

"Of course i'll be there."

His brilliant grin made her laugh.

"You're coming too, Ad? Right bro?"

When she looked at the blonde in question she caught his eyes on her, before he looked away again. What was _with_ him? It was endearing, so so cute. But why was he suddenly so… _Nervous_? He nodded to Nino.

"You know i am."

Nino whooped and Alya shoved him for shouting in her ear. As they made their way into class Marinette found Adrien suddenly beside her, matching her pace. When she glanced up he smiled.

"I'm glad you're coming tonight." he said, and Marinette squealed internally.

His eyes twinkled as he tipped his head to one side.

"It'll be much more fun with someone to compete with."

He grinned and it had a cocky edge to it that somehow made it easier to breath under his attention. Marinette bit her lip and blushed, but she managed to keep his gaze.

"Yeah." she managed as they stepped into the classroom. "It- It'll be cool."

When they took their seats he turned around to send her another grin over his shoulder.

"I look forward to it."

Marinette promptly melted into a useless puddle and only Alya's sympathetic - and excited - pat on her back kept her quiet as she bubbled over with excitement. It was only just the start of the day and she was already eager for the evening.

Needless to say, the school day _dragged_.


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight_

Adrien had barely dropped his schoolbag onto the floor before Plagg appeared to tell him LadyBug was trying to call him. He felt the familiar tug in his heart, and touched his fingers to his ring excitedly.

"Claws out!"

He opened the little screen, grinning when he saw her. He'd had a piano lesson and it had been an hour and a half at most since he'd last seen those eyes and yet when he saw them blinking up at him from his palm he felt like it had been way too long.

"Hello, Milady. What a _Purr_ leasure it is to speak to _mew_ so early in the day."

LadyBug rolled her eyes, but she didn't fool him. He saw the corners of her mouth quirk and felt his grin widen. He had always suspected she liked his puns, at least as Marinette but now that he knew what he was looking for he could see the little flicker in her eyes. She liked his puns, and she liked him. She _liked_ him. She liked _him_. Not just him, Adrien or him, Cat. Him _et all_. She liked both of him. All of him. She very possibly might _love_ all of him. It was hard not to let that make him do stupid things.

Stupid things like swooning internally and completely missing everything she'd just said.

"Sorry, milady. I was _paws_ itively distracted by your beauty. Could you repeat that?"

He earned a groan and another eye-roll, but it seemed she was in too good a mood to even shoot him a half-hearted glare. So she _was_ looking forward to their gaming session. Or was he being too presumptuous? There had to be a way to sneak that information from her.

Wait! Pay attention!

"… a little earlier tonight?"

Okay. Uhm. Wing it. Wing it. She probably meant patrol, right? So that she could head to Nino's house.

"Of course, anything for my Bugaboo."

She snorted, and shot him the closest thing to a glare as she could. Which was a barely lowered eyebrow. He winked.

"When does my lady require my services?"

"Do you even listen when i talk or are you too busy daydreaming of yarn and sunshine?" she teased, with little to no heat.

She _was_ in a good mood. He felt giddy to think that _he_ could be the reason for that. Not that he'd begrudge anyone else who could put a smile on her face. He was at his happiest when his partner was happy. Just as long as nobody thought they could take her from him. To know that she liked _him_... Well. He had every right to feel as cocky as he did as he smirked his reply.

"Admirable ambitions not to be _batted_ at. And a _claw_ some combination, if i may say so myself."

"You haven't listened to half of what i've said." she deadpanned, her half-smile exasperated.

"Every word that passes your lips is _purr_ ecious to me." he purred, throwing her a decidedly _seductive_ look.

She barely blinked at his boldness, despite how he _knew_ it affected Marinette. Perhaps it only produced that divine red blush in person. LadyBug sighed.

"If you're able to patrol with me in ten minutes then brilliant. If not you could always do a second sweep on your own tonight?"

She sounded perfectly nonchalant, and to anyone who knew her less than he did that's all she was. But maybe it was the result of a year in her presence, and maybe it was knowing what he now knew. Maybe it was a combination of both or simply just his own imagination, but he could swear he _heard_ it. Heard that she was a little more invested than nonchalant. That maybe she was hopeful he could make it. It wasn't an unreasonable thought. They were good friends, the very _best_ friends. Despite that he'd often felt unsure and wondered whether she truly _did_ enjoy his companionship. But now? Now he was sure. It was an incredible feeling to be wanted, not just by Marinette but by his lady. One and the same. Could life get any better? He watched her as he responded.

"I'll see you in ten, Milady."

He grinned, and was it truly just wishful thinking that there was a flicker of approval, of _delight_ in her expression? He was already eager to be out of his window and leaping towards their meeting point. LadyBug rolled her eyes and finished the call with a fond smile.

"See you soon, Chaton."

 _God how he loved it when she called him that._


	9. Chapter 9

_**(A/N):** To make up for the short length of the last Chapter, i give you a second one tonight. Be warned, it turned out fluffier than i meant it to, and it's mostly Cat's internal monologue. But it's set up my next Chapter quite nicely, i think.  
As always, you guys rock. Every comment makes my day (or night), criticism is welcomed and i love to hear favourite parts.  
Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Nine_

"A girl would think you've got nothing better to do than leap out on patrol."

LadyBug's amused voice greeted him as she alighted on the rooftop beside him. He'd been there five minutes already, _possibly_ seven. It had been difficult to stand in his room for a minute or so, if only for the sake of his dignity not to rush off the second she ended the call. She settled beside him, swinging her legs over the edge of the rooftop to mirror him, mere inches between them to act like her barrier.

He immediately rested his chin on her shoulder, loving the way she quirked her eyebrow. She did that to Alya and Nino all the time, the simple little change in her expression that was amused and sometimes suspicious and expectant and skeptical all at once. She was so expressive that it took his breath away, and to cover his own sudden nerves he threw her his smirk. The teasing one with the brave flirtatious edge that once had earned him a flicked nose, or a shove, and now earned him… What, exactly?

Ahh, _that_.

Underneath the edges of her mask Cat could see the soft pink colour that blended in so well that he only saw it by knowing it would be there. There was a slight change in her eyes. And there was a definite heartbeat's hesitation before she pressed two fingers to his cheek and turned his face away. Gently, familiar and half-amused, half-exasperated. Once upon a time she might have snatched her shoulder away, pushed a little harder and made a witty comment about keeping his face to himself.

But now she looked at him fondly instead before rolling her eyes and he wondered when that had come into being. When had she stopped forcing him away and begun just simply reminding him to keep back? Had she been warming to him without him truly noticing? Too caught up in the newness of his feelings for Marinette, so blind to the fact that his time with her in her room was warming her behind the mask because _he hadn't realised_.

Instead of saying the first thing that came to mind, which was of course something along the lines of _What better things are there to do than spend time with you?_ he greeted her simply, and with a soft fondness in his voice he hadn't entirely meant to allow there.

"Hey, Bug."

She smiled, and his heart lurched _hard_. She responded by teaching up to his ear, and doing that wonderful, simple little thing that she so rarely did and that he so dearly loved. She ran her fingers through his hair where it met his cat's ear, gently scratching the soft black. It brought that familiar feeling, the contented, pure pleasure of affection. Like hot chocolate after hours in the snow, like the heat of a newly-lit fire when it's howling with thunder outside.

Like the sweet and inviting smell of Marinette's towels when he visited on rainy nights.

He purred. He expected her to laugh, to realise what she was doing and draw back but she didn't. She didn't acknowledge the sound. When she was Marinette she giggled, her eyes dancing and her smile soft. It was moments like that when he had most wanted to kiss her, sprawled on her bed in that companionable familiarity, watching movies or watching her study or sketch. Evenings when she'd had a particularly rough day, - how had he never noticed LadyBug was always _off_ on those nights too? - usually at the hands of Chloé, and needed the simplicity of his presence to comfort her.

She didn't cry, she didn't throw herself into his arms and sob about the unfairness of her life. She simply let him know she was feeling blue, with her eyes or her touch or the fragility of her smile. Sometimes she'd talk, and sometimes she just wanted him to talk, sitting close to him and listening to the meaningless things he thought of to talk about. Sometimes she'd laugh, if he deliberately tried to make her. Sometimes she'd sigh and explain it to him.

Rarely now did she push him away.

And always she would reach out. Gently, simply. Nothing overt, nothing complicated.

She had no idea the depth of how he wanted to kiss her. She never had, not even now after a year of him trying as Cat Noir to win his LadyBug. She placed little weight on his infatuation and truthfully he couldn't truly blame her. For he was Cat Noir, light-hearted and flirty and _whimsical_ and why would his kisses be anything but?

He opened his mouth, only to realise that he had nothing to say. Nothing that _needed_ saying anyway. So he closed it again and shifted his head to the side, knowing that to do what he was going to was a risk. That it could go either way and that he would accept it either way. He pushed his head back, just a little, a slight increase in pressure between his ear and her hand. He held his breath.

And she sighed.

And then, just when he was going to draw back she shifted too. She continued to pet him like the house cat he would _never_ admit to being - though if a house cat was what Marinette wanted he would be sorely tempted to - and she rested her hand atop her chin, atop his shoulder. Her nose was brushing the top of his cheek and he closed his eyes, letting himself slip into the feeling like embracing the warmth of a bath on a cold night.

Time moved and they did not, seated on that rooftop's edge and enjoying the presence of the friend by their side. It was bittersweet when she finally murmured about the time.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I promised a friend…"

Cat opened his eyes to look at her, and he was surprised to see the reluctance in her eyes. She was eager to join the gaming session, and he _knew_ she was eager to spend time with Adrien, if what Alya had exclaimed on her balcony was true. And he thought it was, the clues hidden in her behaviour a good indication that Alya had unknowingly spilled Marinette's secrets to him. Marinette had reacted to Nino's offer much like he thought a girl with a crush would, not that he had much experience in understanding girls or standing in the face of a _real_ crush. One that wasn't tacked purely on his fame or his career as a model.

For he knew that if Marinette _did_ indeed like him, she'd be much more real than that. Marinette wouldn't fall for him on his fame along. She was the least shallow person he thought he'd ever met, especially when he considered how much she _gave_ when she was LadyBug. If Marinette truly fell for someone it would be for something deeper. Everything with Marinette had depth. Nothing was to be taken lightly, from her friendship to her heart.

And that knowledge was so vast and so overwhelming that Adrien feared he'd never live up to it. Not as Adrien, not as Cat and not even as both combined. Because if people were bodies of water Marinette was the ocean. And so many shallow people he had known were only raindrops, racing arrogantly and desperately down the window pane of their lives in the hopes of doing something great.

And so if Marinette had graced Adrien with that, with finding something in him worth her time and affection, why was she so reluctant to leave Cat when all she'd ever seen him to be was so much less than he knew she was worth? He smiled at her, feeling shy and wanted and nervous and she smiled back, flicking his bell with a chuckle that sounded as breathless as he felt. Her blue eyes were fond and he wanted to kiss her.

He wondered if she'd push him away.

"I'll stay longer tomorrow, to make it up to you."

She smiled, a little more confident, an almost challenging light appearing in her eyes. He noticed she hadn't yet made any further move to leave and wondered what she was thinking as she looked at him. He wondered…

Surely not.

And they'd had such a good night, such a pleasant time that he was afraid for once to push his luck. He'd take this over the risk of something more, if there was a chance he'd resurrect her walls. Because they were so very low now, crumbled and falling a little further apart with every passing day. But in that moment they felt like they were gone and she was so very close and so very very warm and her eyes were so gentle that he hesitated. If he did, what would she do? What would she do to him, if he over-stepped his place?

Was it worth the risk?

For the very first time ever Cat realised that he could lose her. If he wasn't careful, if he pushed one time too many, if his bad luck was bad enough…

He could lose her. And the mere thought was devastating.

He swallowed, and looked away.

"Sure, Milady. An extended patrol could be just what we need right now. HawkMoth's bound to make an entrance again soon."

"He has been quiet lately." she murmured back, and she watched him look back up.

Her thoughtful eyes betrayed her distraction and he wondered what was going on behind them. She wasn't thinking of Paris's super villain in that moment. Not with a look like that in her eyes. It was… Different.. Uncertain and yet comfortable. Fragile like a single spun strand of a spider's web. She still hadn't moved, her eyes still on him as they stared at each other.

There was a warmth spreading in his chest that was familiar. It was heavy and sweet and _ached_ and yet it was wondrous, in its own way. LadyBug looked away. There was pink under her mask again, he was certain he could see it. She got to her feet and he followed, stretching languidly and relishing the feeling.

With a grin he turned to her, to say what he instantly couldn't remember because she drew him into an embrace just then. He hugged her back, startled and pleased and feeling warm all over. He didn't want her to go. Even knowing that in mere moments he would see those eyes again and spend all evening sneaking glances, he still felt reluctance deep in his ribcage.

And of course, LadyBug being LadyBug, she chased the feeling away when she drew back from their hug and kissed him.


	10. Chapter 10

_**(A/N):** A short update for those who expressed such distress over the cliff-hanger last Chapter. Marinette's POV makes a come-back in the next Chapter, and it's going to get a bit worked up. You guys are brilliant, all the comments and response have been incredible!_  
 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Ten_

For three whole seconds, Cat was stunned still. For a further second he wondered at the soft press of his partner's lips against his own. And then for three _blissful_ seconds he closed his eyes kissed her back. His fingers were curled at her neck, an arm around her waist drawing her closer with a sharp tug.

And then she'd drawn back so fast he fell forwards after her. He looked up from her arms, just in time to see her wide blue eyes blink twice. Fast. She released a breathless utterance of his name that send a gloriously nervous fragile feeling through his senses, his eyes flickering shut.

" _Cat…_ "

And then LadyBug was gone, and in the time it took for him to hit the rooftop and sit up to look for her she was nowhere to be seen. Seven seconds was all it had taken for the world to flip on its axis, for things to feel like he was stepping into heaven. Cat took a shuddering breath as realisation struck him all at once, tearing through him and leaving him absolutely floored.

Marinette had _kissed_ him.

Cat fell back against the rooftop feeling weak all over and _fuzzy_. He closed his eyes as a giddy chuckle left his mouth, a grin like no other spreading over his lips like a sunrise.

She'd _kissed_ him.

And he'd kissed her back.

Cat thought he might never experience anything _half_ as wonderful as the way her lips felt against his own. There was still a heat there, lingering like the memory of her touch, tingly and amazing and his heart fell so full he could yell his joy into the setting sunlight.

He set off for Nino's not long after, eager to be in Marinette's company again. He was nervous and tingly all over at the thought, almost missing his footing twice before he gave up and retransformed in an alley. He grinned unabashedly at Plagg's cackling, sunnily ignoring the Kwami's taunts.

Adrien was fighting back the ridiculous urge to whistle as he kept his pace even, fighting the skip in his step because he knew everyone on the streets would see it. He was over the moon. The love of his life had _kissed_ him like he'd been dreaming of for so long, and he had never felt so happy.

Knocking on Nino's door, Adrien sighed, a dreamy smile on his face that might never leave.

It wasn't until he walked into Nino's room and saw the way that Marinette tensed, her gaze flickering to him and then away again. She was upset. He could tell, knew her well enough to know that that weak look in her eyes was the source. She was feeling guilty and by the way she was gripping the controller in her hands she was also feeling the urge to flee. He swallowed hard as it hit him, and the smile did indeed fall from his lips.

Marinette liked Cat. Very much. Enough to want to kiss him and enough to actually do it. Alya had proclaimed her crush on Adrien and Marinette hadn't denied it, not even slightly. So he'd thought it was true, decided it was a true possibility. He'd been so caught up with the overwhelming thought that Marinette, the girl he'd fallen for _twice_ liked both sides of his personality that he hadn't stopped to consider the blazingly obvious.

She liked Cat, and she liked Adrien. And that was wonderful and his luck couldn't be any better if he had a room full of ladybirds. And she'd kissed him, and he'd kissed her back and she was _here_ and she liked him and he _loved_ her so much it hurt but one thing struck him and he could have kicked himself for not realising sooner. Marinette was a sweetheart, caring and moral and standing up for what was right.

And _she didn't know_.

For all she knew her identity was a secret, and he knew and hadn't told her. But what was so much worse was that _she didn't know who he was_. When her gaze flickered over again, ten minutes later and half-way though watching Alya's and Nino's characters fight, his fear was confirmed.

Marinette was feeling guilty about what she'd done and she was almost certainly feeling conflicted, the way he had for so long when he was falling for Marinette and felt like he was betraying his lady. He cursed internally, looking down at his hands as a wave of sharp and guilty nerves took hold of him.

She was going to kill him. When he finally came clean and told her what he knew, who he _was_ … She'd never want to see him again. Adrien sighed, wishing for the happy feeling to come back. He looked at Marinette again, noted her tense shoulders and her big blue eyes and her red cheeks and he felt terrible.

This was all his fault, as usual.


	11. Chapter 11

_**(A/N):** Sorry it's been so long guys! Been away on holiday with no time to type. (Urgh, Nightmare, right?) This one's a bit angsty, sort of a downer, but there's action up ahead!  
As always, you guys rock and your comments are literally the highlight of my time online!  
Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Eleven_

Marinette could feel Adrien glancing over at her. She couldn't meet his gaze and she knew her weird behaviour was almost certainly the reason he kept shooting her looks when Nino and Alya were busy. When it was her turn to play against Nino she was so distracted by those heart-stoppingly green eyes locked on her that she lost the first round, something that caused Nino to whoop loudly in delight and Alya to give her a pitying smile and a pep talk.

She just couldn't focus. She had never been so confused in all her life.

Why had she kissed Cat? What on earth had she been thinking by doing it?

She closed her eyes as she handed her controller to Alya. What was she going to do? Her stupid impulsive action was going to have serious consequences. She just _knew_ it would. It had to. Cat was going to want to know what she'd meant by kissing him. He was going to take it as a definite sign that she returned his affections. And it's not like she could blame him for thinking it, could she?

What else was he supposed to think when she'd done something so blazingly obvious? What was he supposed to think when the partner who'd rejected his every advance suddenly kissed him out of the blue with no warning or explanation? Marinette felt incredibly guilty thinking about it.

Poor Cat. She hadn't given him a chance. She'd grabbed him so suddenly, kissed him so confidently. And then she'd simply run away from him. What must he be thinking?

She wished she hadn't done it. And not even because she hadn't liked it. Because that was the crux of the whole thing. She _had_. She'd liked it more than she could ever have expected to and even just thinking about it sent a pleasant little warmth flittering through her chest. She liked Cat. She _loved_ him. As a friend for sure, and as for something more… She was almost certain she probably did, but it was all muddled and tangled with the guilt she felt over betraying her crush on Adrien.

With it all jumbled together Marinette felt torn between wanting to be sick and wanting to just go home and curl up with Tikki and let the little Kwami make her feel better the way she always did, by making everything make more sense.

Marinette dropped back against her beanbag, staring up at the ceiling of Nino's room. She'd visited often, been there enough times to feel comfortable. She stared up at the old glow-in-the-dark stars that had been there when they were little and she sighed. She wished life were simple again like it used to be.

It had been so easy when they were little. True she hadn't had Alya, and she _definitely_ hadn't been pining over Adrien. But she'd had Nino, and although they'd never been super close back then they'd played together. She'd been to birthday parties, gone to the zoo on a day trip with his parents and some of his other friends that one time.

Marinette stared up at the ceiling and suddenly wished she was lying on a rooftop instead of a beanbag, that she was looking up at real stars instead of plastic ones. With an uncomfortable twist in her stomach Marinette realised that she'd rather be out there beside Cat instead of Adrien and Alya and Nino and she felt like she was tearing into two different people.

She liked Adrien. She _really_ liked him. She'd been pining after him for so long and she'd spent so many hours in his company that she'd gotten to know him on a much deeper level than she used to. She and Alya called him the love of her life. She'd been daydreaming about their future together for a year. She relished any opportunity to be close to him, to see him smile and hear him laugh and has his eyes on her while he did so.

To realise that she'd rather be with Cat was startling. And yet somehow the thought just felt right.

"Yo, Nett? You okay? You're up."

Marinette opened her eyes to look over, and three sets of curious, concerned eyes on her made her feel just a tiny bit better. She had friends that cared about her and she was working herself up into a state right now when she should be enjoying their rare chance to spend so much time together playing video games and free of homework. Nino raised an eyebrow and Marinette found herself grinning.

"Who am i beating this time?" she asked, sitting up as they laughed and called her out.

"Probably me." Adrien replied.

Marinette's grin faltered as her eyes automatically met his. She stumbled over her words and looked away, focusing on the controller Nino was passing her.

"Oh! I- uhm- see- Well- Will. I mean! I mean I do- Will! I will! Uhm."

Alya sniggered but Marinette didn't have the strength to look up and glare. Of course it was Adrien. She swallowed as she flicked through the little box of profiles for her saved character. She was determinedly _not_ looking at Adrien, but it didn't help her any. She looked at the familiar start-up screen and all she could see was Adrien's smile when they'd played against each other in her room. She glanced down at her controller and the lamplight hitting the black plastic made her think of the way the moonlight danced across Cat's costume on patrol.

She didn't want to play any more. She felt wretched, and she knew she was blowing everything out of true proportion but she couldn't stop. She _hated_ her heart and it's stupid indecision. She'd always dreamed of being with Adrien.

He was the logical choice, the _right_ choice… Wasn't he? He was sweet and charming and well-behaved and _nice_ and predictable and safe and… and Cat was coy and bold and funny and cheeky and sweet and he surprised her constantly.

Marinette flicked the trigger button as she watched her character dodge Adrien's attack. He always started with that move. She didn't know how he ever won when he always favoured the same moves. She snorted as she performed a simple three-step move that decreased his HP by a good chunk. Alya cheered and Nino grumbled.

Marinette had looked over at him triumphantly before she had time to prepare herself. He was glancing in her direction just then, and when there eyes met she froze up. He was looking at her funny again, a look that was indecipherable and confusing and stomach-flipping. He looked almost _sad_ , and a little- _what was that?_ Frightened? Apologetic? Curious?

They stared at each other for exactly three heartbeats before Marinette tore her eyes away and pressed the buttons on her controller a little too harshly. Her heart was thumping and she felt her cheeks heating up. That familiar flicker of excited attraction danced across her skin the same way it always did when his eyes met hers.

And yet this time with it came a cold feeling. It was wrong of her to feel so attracted to Adrien when she felt so attracted to Cat. And it was wrong of her to have kissed Cat when she was so desperate to kiss Adrien.

Marinette's eyes were growing hot the way they did when she was close to tears, and Nino and Alya were looking between them suspiciously.

It was almost a relief when Tikki tugged on her top from her hiding place in the inside pocket Marinette had sewn into her favourite blue shirt. She glanced down and Tikki was looking up with huge, worried eyes.

"Something's wrong." the Kwami whispered, her voice drowned out by the noise of the battle on screen.

Marinette didn't need to ask. She looked up at her friends and forced a rueful grin on her face.

"I- uhm. I just remembered i need to phone my mum."

At their matching incredulous looks she offered Alya her controller, already getting to her feet. It was always harder to climb out of a beanbag than a chair but she managed it without making a fool of herself.

"What?" Alya asked, sounding wounded.

Marinette felt bad, the way she always did when she had to cancel on their plans. She'd promised them she'd stay the whole evening. Being a secret superhero had made her a terrible excuse for a friend, always having to run out on them or cancel plans to do patrol or fight an akuma.

"Sorry." she tried, giving them her best apologetic expression. She was getting good at that one. "I need to phone her, i uhm… We're catering this thing and i forgot all about it and- uhm. I might have to go." she finished lamely, wincing and looking down at her feet at their protests.

"Dude." Nino said, and when she looked at him he looked sad, and yet understanding. Nino always had been such a good friend. Why had she never truly noticed that before? It was almost funny. In a world without Adrien and Alya, who knows? Maybe they'd have been closer than ever.

"Sorry, Nino. I'll try to make it fast, i promise. And if i can't come back i'll make it up to you, promise."

Nino rolled his eyes and nodded, offering her a fist-bump and a smile, but Alya pouted.

"You're always having to run off to that Bakery. I know it's your family, but sometimes i wish they'd give you a night off once in a while."

Marinette fidgeted, aware of Tikki tugging at her top again. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Marinette pulled her phone out, really just for something to keep her hands busy.

"Yeah, me too." she sighed, thinking of HawkMoth. "Time off would be great."

She gave them a wave and darted from the room, barely closing the door before she was striding down the hall to the stairs, Tikki fluttering by her shoulder.

"It's bad, Marinette. There's something in the air. It must be an akuma, and it has to be close."

Martinette nodded as she closed the front door, streaking across the street to an alley she knew was close by.

"I hope it's not too awful." she replied, checking they were alone in the fading light. It was unusual for HawkMoth to attack at night. It made her feel vulnerable and a little bit more frightened than usual. She gave the Kwami a grim smile. "Spots on, Tikki."


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter Twelve_

It was indeed awful. LadyBug had barely transformed and swung up onto the closest rooftop when she saw the light across the city. Now that she was outside she could hear the faint sounds of shouting, the frightened screams. Even after a year the sound still made her blood race in an unpleasant way, her stomach roiling before she got herself under that LadyBug control.

She swung off, already in the process of calling her partner. It took him several minutes to answer, and LadyBug knew before he answered why. It was late and they'd completed patrol, and HawkMoth had never before struck at night. Cat's voice was familiar and soothing despite the trepidation in his tone.

"What's wrong?" he asked in greeting, and LadyBug almost let her train of thought meander. What _wasn't_ wrong right then?

"An attack." she answered, her professionalism kicking in and helping her focus. She could cry and mope like a love-struck fool later. Right now she had a city to save. "Near the tower. I'm on my way over but… Something feels wrong, Cat."

"An akuma is always wrong." he replied softly, and she could hear everything in his voice.

They'd have to have a talk later. She'd have to… Work out what was going on between them.

"This one feels different. I don't know what it is, i just… It _feels_ worse. Like the air is wrong. Hurry, Chaton."

"On my way, Bug."

She closed the compact, alighting on the next rooftop and taking a moment to take in the night. She was one street over from the attack and she could hear the fear, and a loud crackling sound streaking through the air every other heartbeat. She felt something in the air, a tingle, sending a dark shiver down her spine.

This was going to be a bad one, she just knew it.

She braced herself, feeling guilty about wanting to wait until Cat Noir arrived before heading in. Something about this made her want him by her side before she made her presence known. The screaming continued and LadyBug bit her lip, her instincts torn between diving in to help and waiting for back up.

"This does feel worse than usual."

He landed beside her and brought with him a wave of calm, and LadyBug sent him a relieved glance. Attraction and guilt and angst aside she was grateful he was there. He looked out of sorts, his ears twitching more than usual and his tail lashing from one side to the other in sharp, jumpy motions. He looked at her and his eyes were glowing darkly.

"Urgh, i feel like my fur's on end." he said with a shake, and it was only then that LadyBug realised he hadn't cracked a joke yet, or sent her a single unprofessional look.

"You don't have fur." she pointed out quietly, a feeling of foreboding growing in her stomach.

He looked at her and there was fear in his eyes, something that was rare for him before a battle.

"I know." he replied, looking back towards the noise. "How are we playing this?"

She swallowed, her mind kicking into gear and whirring.

"Do you want one side? Or do we go head on?"

He looked at her, a long and indecipherable look. She didn't usually sound so uncertain, so unsure of their plans. It made him wonder if it was because of what had happened between them or whether it was purely because of the _wrongness_ they were feeling.

"We stick together until we see what we're up against." he answered firmly, his voice serious and dark. "I want you next to me until we know whether it's going to go sour."

She nodded and tensed, her yo-yo in hand.

"Okay. Let's do this."

She threw out the string and readied herself to leap. His baton was in hand, extending to send him across the street with her. He met her eye and nodded back.

After you, milady."

LadyBug swung, trying not to think about the fact that she actually missed the playful lilt the endearment usually carried.

It turned out they were very very right and things were indeed very very wrong. The akuma was not an akuma but _two_ akumas. Parents who had lost a child. They were terrifying to look at, their costumes a dark mix of colours that looked like drying blood and sorrow. They were sending lightening cracks of purple and blue lightening, capturing people in pens of searing light and separating people from their loved ones.

The battle was fierce and LadyBug's LuckCharm only defeated the father. The other akuma was arguably the worst, her attack vicious in a way LadyBug didn't think they had ever seen before. She was close to retransforming before Cat used his Cataclysm to knock a vendor's stall onto the aukmatised woman, and when LadyBug darted in to retrieve the necklace the akuma was hiding in, she felt a searing and burning pain across her side.

She heard Cat cry out and everything after that was a little fuzzy and jumbled. She worked on autopilot, her well-practiced routine ensuring the akuma was cleansed, and she couldn't be sure but she thought that it was her partner who threw the spotted rope into the air. It was definitely him who proclaimed _Miraculous LadyBug_ to trigger the Kwami magic and right all the damage done during the attack.

LadyBug knew it was him because she was having trouble taking a full breath let alone enough air to shout. Somehow she fought the pain, the beeping in her ears pushing her forwards. She had to get somewhere secluded. She had to protect her identity and her family. She breathed through the dwindling pain, her skin burning and rubbing painfully against her suit.

Cat's cry took most of it away but her head still swam and she was reminded of the way she felt during a panic attack. She fought the urge to freak out. If she had an attack now she'd definitely never make it away in time. Cat was calling her name but she forced her yo-yo out, focusing on holding onto it tightly as it threw her through the air.

She stumbled into an alley and tumbled against the wall. She fell to the ground as Tikki reappeared, and as her vision swam she felt the Kwami's warm touch on her cheek.

"You'll be okay, Marinette. Just give it a moment to work."

Marinette curled up and closed her eyes, already feeling the magic tingling over the wound. She'd been hurt in battle before and she likely would be again. Cat had suffered at least ten blows to every one she ever had, and the magic always took the worst of it away. She just had to breathe and let it do its thing.

It didn't take too long. The pain in her side subsided, slowly at first and then all at once. Her head cleared and breathing came easy once more. She gave Tikki a tired smile as she got to her feet, grateful for the brick wall behind her.

"Thanks."

Tikki gave her a bright smile but her eyes were worried.

"Oh, Marinette!"

The little red Kwami fluttered up in an uncoordinated manner and buried herself against her neck. Marinette knew that no matter how much the fight had tired her, it had tired Tikki more.

"I was so worried. But you did wonderfully, as you always do!"

Marinette attempted a laugh, the burning in her side a mere ache now. Tikki was barely in her pocket again when she heard the shout.


	13. Chapter 13

_**(A/N):** The third - albeit short - chapter of the night. Because i can't sleep and because why not.  
_ _Apologies for all the angst. There's probably more to come in future chapters, but i hope you make it through because there's fluff to follow it.  
_ _Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Thirteen_

"Mari!"

Marinette turned so fast she almost fell over, and she was caught in someone's arms just in time. She looked up at Adrien in surprise, her face feeling warm as she stared into his green eyes. He looked so _worried_ that her heart leapt and stuttered in her chest.

He didn't know. He _couldn't_ know. But then why was he so worried? She'd done nothing to elicit such a response as Marinette. LadyBug had taken the hit from the akuma's weird purple lightning. She bit her lip and tried to swallow the rising panic that she'd been caught out. Had he arrived in time to see Tikki hiding?

Adrien drew her into a fierce hug, startling her questions away like frightened birds from a gunshot. Her heart was racing at his proximity, her mouth dry. His arms were so soft and warm and he was _just_ the right height to make her feel secure and… And it felt familiar and safe.

She had to try very hard to focus on wondering _why_ Adrien was hugging her so tightly because most of her brain was simply screaming with delight at his actions, while simultaneously balking at the betrayal of Cat, when they weren't even… They hadn't _talked_ about it yet, about… About the fact that she'd so very clearly lost her head.

And quite possibly her heart.

"I was so worried! You should be more careful- Oh, _Mari_."

"W-W-Worried?" she peeped, saucer-like eyes on his face. "You caring- I- What meaning- I- Why would… uhhm. Why?"

He didn't even blink at her stammering and fumbling, his eyes wide and surprised as he released her. He ran his hands through his hair and looked away uneasily, and she was quickly forgetting about how conflicted she was feeling and how much the remainder of her wound _stung_ because he looked like he was abut to run away and she couldn't for the life of her work out why.

"Uhm. I- I meant- You- uh. Should- _You_ should be more careful when- to… to stick with me when akuma's attack! I lost track of you, and i was worried you'd gotten hurt."

She blinked. And when she saw him still looking anxious and nervous and flighty she blinked again. What on _earth_ was wrong with him? He- He'd stammered! And that was _her_ job. He looked pained and torn and somehow even though she'd never seen him this way before it struck some part of her as _familiar_ and it was nagging her, in the back of her mind.

It was-

"There they are!"

Alya. Alya's voice was loud and booming like always, making Marinette jump and swing around to see her. Nino was with her, trying to keep up with her walk-run - Ha, Marinette _hated_ trying to keep up with that! It was such an awkward speed. - and they were both looking confused and red. Marinette wondered if they'd been running around looking for them or, more likely knowing Alya, had come looking for a better view of the akuma attack.

" _Dude_!" Nino gasped out when they reached them, his hands on his knees as he shot Alya a wounded glance. "You two keep disappearing! What's going on?"

Uh-oh.

Well, what _were_ they doing, exactly? She was recovering from the attack, not that she could tell them that, and Adrien was… What, exactly? Why had he come looking in the first place? And how had he managed to find her? And _why_ was he not back at Nino's with the others, where it was safe? What had he meant about losing track of her? Her brain began to hurt.

"Uhm."

Well done, Marinette. Eloquent as always. She swallowed and glanced between her three friends, wondering how in the world she was going to explain this one.

"Ohmygod, Nino."

Alya suddenly - and shrilly - squeaked, reaching out for his shoulder to steady herself. Her eyes were wide and startled as she looked between them. Marinette could _feel_ her friend's gaze on her red cheeks, on Adrien. Alya looked between them both before a wicked grin exploded across her lips.

"Oh my _god_ , Nino! They're totally dating!"


	14. Chapter 14

_**(A/N):** Okay guys! Fair warning this Chapter is a little heavy, in the theme of the last couple chapters. But we've hit a turning point in our **tail**...  
As always your comments make my dayyyy!  
Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Fourteen_

" _What!? No!_ "

Marinette almost screamed it, the nervous panic in her stomach making her voice squeaky and shrill. She glanced desperately at Adrien and away again, too insecure and flustered to look at the way his green eyes were wide and round and looking at her and her heart might never slow down again and _why_ did Alya have to say such ridiculous things and oh-

Marinette was surprised by the sudden and fierce wish that Cat would somehow appear and whisk her away or give her an excuse to work with, a moment to breathe.

"Well- I- Uhm." Marinette scrabbled.

Adrien was incredibly quiet and Alya was squealing and bouncing on her toes, absolutely convinced that what she was saying was true. Marinette looked to Nino for help but a grin of wonder was creeping across his face as Alya's movements jogged his arm, his eyes bright and happy.

" _Duude_." he breathed.

"It- It's-" Marinette tried.

"Ohmygod." Alya was getting louder by the syllable.

"It's not-"

"Nino, Oh _my God_."

"Alya _listen_ -"

"I know! _Duude!_ "

"Wait- _Nino, it's_ -"

"Oh my _god_!"

Alya was grinning at Nino, looking back and forth between the three of them as her eyes lit with revelation and conviction.

" _It'snotwhatitlookslike!_ "

Marinette finally managed to get her sentence out in a single long, shouted sort of hiss. Alya totally ignored her.

"The tension, the _looks_ …"

"The disappearing." Nino agreed, looking almost as giddy as Alya. "Arriving late at basically the same time..."

Marinette watched in horror as Alya pressed her hands against her cheeks and squealed again. Suddenly the two looked at each other and laughed, sharing some great secret. Before Marinette could even ask they spun in unison, pointing right at herself and Adrien.

"The _phone call_!"

 _What? What phone call?_

Adrien hadn't phoned her, and she certainly hadn't phoned Adrien. She _never_ phoned him, too afraid that it would result in a reoccurrence of the last time she tried to call and left that horrendously embarrassing voicemail and had to steal his phone and- No way was she risking a repeat. Marinette always _texted_ Adrien.

It was easier to say what she wanted without her stutter or her stammering, and she could proof-read as many times as she needed to minimise her opportunities to make a fool of herself.

"What phone call?"

She managed to ask it with no little effort, hyper aware of Adrien standing right next to her and determined not to look at him because she knew it would be her undoing. So she tried to re-learn how to breathe instead, watching as Nino and Alya rolled their eyes in a spooky unison that spoke of how much they really should just _call themselves a couple already_.

" _The_ phone call." Nino clarified with a smirk as he crossed his arms.

"The _I-have-to-phone-my-mum-about-a-thing-we're-catering_ phone call." Alya clarified wickedly.

Marinette looked between them dazedly. She'd had to phone Cat. Was she so easy to read? Could they always tell when she was lying to go do something LadyBug related? Did they know already and were waiting for her to- To what, to confess? Did they-

Marinette reigned herself in. She was getting paranoid. Nobody knew. She was safe and secret. Her family were safe from being targets of HawkMoth. She frowned and swallowed and focused on making words appear from her mouth.

"I-"

But Nino cut her off with a chuckle.

"And then what happens but Yo! Adrien _mysteriously_ gets a phone call at the exact same time and has to step out too!"

"Yeah, no offence Adrien but your dad _never_ calls you. You two are so _obvious_! I can't believe we didn't work it out before!"

"I know, right? Bro! How many times have we heard pretty much the same excuses and then suddenly they're both gone, huh?"

Alya crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder against Nino's as they looked at her triumphantly. The fierce wish for Cat came back, in a totally different manner. Cat made her feel brave and capable and she so desperately wanted him to throw a one-liner her way to help her find her feet.

"All this time you've been letting me believe your über-crush was _unrequited_ and you've been sneaking off together!" Alya shrieked, only sounding mildly insulted.

Marinette knew she should be freaking out about what they were saying about her and Adrien - and believe it, she would be once it set in and she'd start feeling guilty too, because _Cat_ … And she should possibly be laughing and taking a photo to show Alya and Nino how utterly dorky and adorable they were together but a strange sort of foreboding, calm focus suddenly settled itself on Marinette's brain like a fire blanket.

The phone call. They said the phone call. They were suspicious already, it couldn't be true, right? A coincidence. A terribly big one, but still. Except Adrien's dad really _never_ phoned him and it was too well-timed and he _had_ somehow managed to find her just moments after the fight and how could he have possibly know where she was unless- Unless-

There was absolutely no way.

It felt like the air was treacle and she felt her head turned so slowly, inching around to look at him. And the utterly _familiar_ sheepish cringe on his face made all the pieces click together all at once.

" _No_."

The word was barely whispered, her fingers finding her mouth as she stared at him, seeing him shift awkwardly and completely unable to look away from the way he squirmed. He was rubbing the back of his neck and she could practically _see_ the black ears flattening against his hair, his tail twitching low and tangling around his leg, seeking comfort.

No way.

And to make it all worse he already knew. She could see it in his whole stance and knew it to be the reason why his gaze danced around her but wouldn't meet hers. It was the way Cat looked when he knew he was in trouble. She'd seen that expression so many times, hadn't she? In battle, on patrol, in her room.

 _Oh god Adrien had been in her room._ She'd held him on those rare nights when he broke down and cried, she'd been brazen and teased him with milk and flicked his bell and- And spurned all of his advances for over a year.

The boy she had found herself utterly - and admittedly a little obsessively - in love with had been trying to win her heart for a whole year. Or more correctly LadyBug's heart. And Cat had been visiting Marinette for months and months, working his way into her heart and-

 _Oh god she'd scratched behind his ear_ and let him _curl_ beside her to watch movies and and and she'd been in close proximity to him without combusting and _she hadn't even known it!_ Her heart had been swaying with new affection for the _same_ guy. How absolutely and typically cruel was that?

And oh-

 _Oh!_

 _Ohdeargodandeverythingholy_ she'd _kissed_ him!

She'd kissed Adrien _i'm a famous model and your adorable classmate_ Agreste!

Adrien _i'll give you my umbrella you give me your heart_ Agreste!

Adrien _oh Mari, you don't need to breathe i'll just steal all your air just by looking at you_ Agreste!

She needed a moment, a minute to process as her brain began to go into melt-down, every frightened thought clamouring to make its way to the forefront of her mind as her friends squealed and laughed, oblivious to the pit that Marinette was slipping into.

 **She was going to be sick. She could feel the world tightening around her. The air was heavy and her lungs were spasming, erratic and uncoordinated and she began to truly panic**.

And Cat had started being sweet and flirty with her too, hadn't he? **She was slipping into a panic attack** _._ He'd- He'd- He'd-

She felt a sharp and unexpected pain in her chest and she tried to gasp but couldn't. He'd found out. **Her heart was hammering harshly.** How long had he _known_? **It was loud like the roar of a waterfall in her ears.** He'd found out and spent time with her because she was _LadyBug_. Not because he liked _Marinette_ but because he knew it was _her_ behind the red and black mask. When had he stopped pestering her to reveal her identity? Had it been when he started visiting her as Marinette? Before? He'd found out. That's why he was visiting. **Her fingertips were tingling, hot like fire as she struggled to breathe a full breath.**

She'd been an idiot to allow her walls to begin crumbling under his influence, so _stupidly_ allowing affection to grip her heart, for _him_ to enter it! **She was aware of the air against her eyes as her vision wavered.** And he'd only been there because he wanted LadyBug and he'd somehow discovered her secret.

And to top it off _she'd_ been feeling guilty because she was still so fervently pining after Adrien, when _that_ was what he was truly like. **Her knees were wobbling.** She'd thought him so wondrous, so kind, so sweet and honest. **She wasn't getting enough oxygen.** And all this time he'd probably been laughing at her inability to work it out and patting himself on the back every time he got a little bit closer to winning her over. **Her lungs were panicking, drowning in nothingness.** To winning _LadyBug_ over. Cat didn't care for Marinette. Not like she'd thought he might.

Not like she'd begun to care for him.

Marinette was half-way home before she realised she'd turned to run. It was a good thing she knew the way off by heart because her tears were blinding and she was close to passing out.


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter Fifteen_

"Wait-"

" _Marinette!_ "

Adrien watched her run off and although he could hear Nino and Alya shouting after her too he wasn't paying attention. He bit his lip. This was his fault, and he knew it. He should have told her when he worked it out.

He should have taken her aside right after class and said _Hey Mari, uhm. I know you're LadyBug, and i know it because i'm Cat Noir_.

He should have told her when he visited her. He'd dropped in _twice_ since he'd found out. He should have made it a priority to tell her he knew. He could have mentioned it on patrol. After patrol. At Nino's. When they were scoping the akuma.

At least then it would have been coming from him and not thrown in her face when she was recovering from the particularly nasty aftershock of their most recent battle. He hadn't even had a chance to properly confirm that she was okay. He knew her LadyBug magic didn't always fix all of the damage done by the worst blows they took, sometimes leaving a little reminder behind for them to heal by themselves.

He was torn. Would she want him to drop by and explain right now? Would she want a few hours to come to terms with it? A few days?

He hadn't stopped to think about how on earth he was going to handle this conversation, and it wasn't like they could ignore it. They had to talk. This changed a lot of things for them, by far the way they worked as partners. He'd already felt himself feeling more worried about her when they were fighting, watching her run into battle and seeing her as the sweet, shy girl who sat behind him in school.

She was still the same person she'd always been, but somehow knowing she was Marinette made him see her as more vulnerable, more… Well, more human.

And now he didn't know whether he should be Cat Noir and barrel in with bad timing and worse jokes and irritate her until she agreed to talk to him, or if he should be Adrien and keep his distance and give her space until she was ready.

Because he didn't know whether to treat her as LadyBug or Marinette. He could be brash and bold as always with LadyBug, and she had never questioned it. But Marinette had a way of bringing out the softer side of his superhero persona, and he wasn't sure he could be his cocky self knowing she knew who was underneath.

And the bigger question was whether or not she even wanted to talk about it. He didn't know whether she would want to go through every detail and label them precisely or whether she'd be more content to just let them be what they were without really addressing anything and just letting it sort itself.

"Bro, are you even there? Hel _looo_?"

He blinked at Nino.

"Wh-What?"

He was scratching the back of his neck, a nervous habit his father hated. Marinette had once teased him for it as Cat Noir. It had been one of the first rare moments she had called him adorable. His heart tugged. He didn't think he could cope without dropping by. He had to see her. Even if she didn't want to hear what he had to say he had to try.

And he just wanted to see her, full stop. It didn't matter in what capacity.

"What's going on with you two? Are you together or what?"

Adrien swallowed, suddenly reminded of Alya's accusing words. She thought they were dating, and Nino did too. And she'd accused Marinette of seeing Adrien behind Alya's back and… and what were her words? " _letting me believe your über-crush was unrequited"_. So he'd been right. Marinette _did_ have a crush on Adrien. _And_ on Cat Noir.

The thought was dizzying, and he wanted to smile so badly that it hurt to hide it.

"Uhm, no. No, we're not. I uhh, I borrowed her pen and had to give her it back."

It was a lame excuse and he could have kicked himself for it. Neither of the friends was buying it, giving him matching _I-know-you're-lying-lovebird_ smirks. He swallowed again, desperate to leave and chase after Marinette. Even if only to check she was okay and apologise for not telling her he knew the very moment he did.

"Uh _huh_. I don't buy it. Something is seriously _up_ with you two, Boy, and you better spill!"

Adrien felt the automatic urge to cringe and give in to Alya's familiar, bossy tone. But he stopped himself, instead shaking his head.

"Sorry guys. I- uhh, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow."

And with them shouting after him in surprise, Adrien turned down the same street Marinette had, walking as fast as he could without running. His legs were aching from the battle and he could hear Plagg's quiet grumbling for cheese. But most importantly he could hear his heart calling for him to right the wrong he'd allowed himself to commit, and he could only that by finding his partner and explaining exactly what had happened.

Right after he apologised a million times and made sure she knew he meant it.


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter Sixteen_

Marinette didn't answer his tapping on the window. He could see her where she sat, her chair angled so that she had her back to him. She had her head ducked, and the one hand he could see on her desk clenched every time he tried again. He'd bought foul-smelling cheese for Plagg in the closest all-night store he could find and he'd been sitting on her balcony for well over an hour, tapping uselessly on the window and feeling more and more like a bad friend with every ignored tap.

She wasn't going to let him in. He'd accepted that after the first four tries, but for some reason he hadn't given up. He sat cross-legged before the window, his forehead pressed against the cool glass. Marinette's light was off, her room lit by the dim glow of a low lamp. It made the room look as warm and cosy as he knew it to be.

He wished he was in there with him as he let his hand fall into his lap again. He wished he was beside her on the chaise, watching a movie on her computer with her sitting close beside him, maybe doing that scratching-petting thing she sometimes did with his ears. He wished he was sprawled on her bed with her, helping her with her homework or listening to her moan about Chloé or talk at length about one or other of their classmates, about something they'd done that she thought was wonderful or silly.

More than anything he just wished she'd turn around and look at him. Even if she didn't let him in, even if she didn't want to hear what he had to say. He just wanted to see those blue eyes and assure his worry that she was okay. The akuma woman had struck her at close range, sending that terrifying purpley blue lightning right across her ribs.

It had been the worst moment of his entire life, watching the crackling light envelop his partner, streaking around her waist and licking dangerously across her hip, crawling fast up her spine. It had given her suit an eery tinge, made her pale and grey and he'd been absolutely petrified that he was going to lose her.

He'd barely had any willpower holding him in place to make sure the akuma victims turned back to normal, feeling awful to see how the mother cried and how lost the father was to comfort her. Finding Marinette leaning so heavily against the wall in that alley had given him a similar sort of feeling.

"Mari please…" he asked again, refusing to acknowledge the whimper in his own voice as he watched her jerk a little, the only sign she'd even heard him.

He ignored the watery feeling in his eyes. He kept his gaze on her and raised his hand to the glass once more, tapping his familiar little greeting. Marinette's head turned a fraction of an inch to one side, but he still couldn't see any more of her. He fought the despair in his gut.

"Just let me know you're okay."

That time it was a definite whimper, his words wobbling. Marinette tensed, her head tilting down to the left and exposing a portion of her cheek to him. Her eyes were closed and her jaw was clenched, but she didn't look angry the way he'd thought she would. Marinette looked… sad. Sad in the deep way, sorrowful. He felt terrible.

Of course she'd be upset. He had as good as betrayed her trust. She had every right to be upset with him. It didn't stop his mouth from working. The tears were spilling and he couldn't stop them either.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She twisted her face away again, and he knew he'd lost the battle. But Cat Noir had never known when to give up. He'd keep fighting till he wasn't able to any more.

" _Please_ , Mari."

In answer Marinette stood up, quickly squashing his rising hope as she made her way over to her trapdoor with tight strides. She opened the door and disappeared, pulling it shut behind her. She didn't look his way once.

Cat sat back, feeling rejected and knowing he only had himself to blame. He considered staying right there, waiting for her to reappear. She had to sleep some time, and her bed was in her bedroom, of course. But she didn't want to see him, that much was clear. He would have to content himself with knowing she was alive and as well as he could diagnose. She had walked with one hand on her ribs but they'd had a long battle and she wasn't stupid.

He had to be settle with the knowledge that if it was bad enough she'd seek help for it.

He barely had the will power to feed an exhausted Plagg before falling into bed, not bothering to change. The Kwami seemed to sense how truly despondent he was feeling for he never said a word, eating his cheese in silence, more neat and well-behaved than Adrien had ever known him to.

In an unspoken and subdued manner Plagg joined the blonde when he was finished, forgoing all his usual nighttime quips and grumbles to curl on the pillow close to Adrien's chin as Adrien closed his eyes. When the silent tears came unbidden Plagg snuck closer, one tiny warm paw resting against Adrien's neck.


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter Seventeen_

Marinette didn't come to school the next day and Adrien and Nino were informed by a disappointed Alya that their friend was feeling ill, claiming she'd had a panic attack the night before and needed to sleep it off. Alya told them in hushed tones that it sounded like a pretty serious one, but that Marinette had been quick to assure the bespectacled girl that it was unrelated to her running off on them.

She was soon distracted in her usual puzzling of her favourite subject. Not the history textbook they were supposed to be working on, but _LadyBug_ of course. She was worried about the superhero's injury, wondering how the spotted girl managed to always save the day and if she resented taking blows for Paris.

Of course she quickly discarded that thought, rolling her eyes and telling them that _of course_ LadyBug didn't mind. It was what she did. It was _who she was_. Nino nudged Adrien every now and then as he listened to Alya, shooting him a knowing grin when the girl went off on long tangents about how great LadyBug was. Adrien was reminded that Nino knew he had a crush on LadyBug, and wondered whether Nino would ever put two and two together if he thought Adrien had a crush on Marinette.

Best not to think about it. And he didn't have to for long because they were soon reprimanded by their teacher and told on no uncertain terms that if they weren't finished the exercise they hadn't been doing _in the next five minutes_ they would be doing it at home that night.

Adrien couldn't concentrate, knowing that it was entirely likely that Marinette had lied to spare their feelings. He had gotten himself pretty much under control by the time he'd arrived at the school that morning, but worry for his absent partner was beginning to fiddle with the seams of his determination.

The first proper panic attack Adrien had seen the blue-eyed girl have was in costume just after he'd picked up the habit of visiting Marinette. In hindsight he really should have put those two facts together but he had been blind as usual.

Through his own cocky stupidity he had put himself in the cross-fire in LadyBug's place during battle, receiving a rather nasty wound for his trouble. His partner had been beside herself, screaming his name as she took the akuma down and cleansed the butterfly. Her voice had broken when she'd shouted for the Kwami magic to fix everything, and she'd fallen to her knees at his side.

She'd been frantic and shrill at first, before they'd seen the magic start to work. Cat had been immeasurably glad her suit was red and his was dark, because although she wasn't the squeamish type the sight of _his_ blood was freaking her out. She'd pressed her hands tight against his wound, grey in the face and biting her lip hard enough to bruise it. Her pupils had been blown wide and she'd been babbling, a flow of words meant to soothe him as she panicked.

It had taken him a minute to realise her trembling wasn't from fear, and that her gasping wasn't just because she was crying. He'd panicked himself but managed to keep it under control for long enough to take her hands and coax her into breathing. Some part of him had taken over, and he'd thanked Plagg later for his help. The Kwami had shaken his head and told him that he had no idea what he was talking about because the calm settling over his senses and telling him what to do hadn't come from him.

Cat had been afraid to watch her go through that, and had been nervous afterwards to ask her what it had been like. It seemed obvious _why_ she'd had one. He'd been under illusions about the amount of blood lost before she'd helped him to his feet to hug him hard and he had seen it on the rooftop below them. She'd sent the recovered akuma victim away when he'd been occupied with trying to fight the pain, and some part of him had been touched by that.

She'd been uncharacteristically embarrassed about her attack, and apologised for scaring him. He'd had to run just then because his ring was down to one toe, but he'd kissed her cheek and been sure to tell her never to apologise about feeling like that. It had been the first time he'd seen her have an attack, but he had promised her he would always help her through them.

It had also been the first time she hadn't pushed him away for kissing her.

He should have noticed the identical look in Marinette's eyes when he'd decided to visit late that night, recognised the way she bit her lip and badgered him about the wound. She'd been extra careful with him that night, her voice soft and her teasing missing it's usual bite. In the end they'd watched his favourite movie and she'd spent the whole time running gentle fingers through his hair where it met his ears, the way he just _loved_.

It was possible that that night had been the most recognisable turning point in his feelings for his classmate. She'd sent him home with a concerned smile and a kiss on his cheek, and Adrien kicked himself now as he realised she'd been returning his gesture of affection. Even though he hadn't known it was from his lady at the time.

She was truly the most wondrous person he knew and he was desperate to be with her again, beyond apologies and beyond checking she was okay. Marinette was the reason Adrien no longer felt so alone in the world, and he couldn't stand knowing he'd repaid her by not owning up to uncovering a secret that wasn't his to have.

After all, didn't she deserve to know who she was partnered with, seeing as he knew? She had the right to know whose tail she'd saved so many times, whose bad jokes irritated her as much as they made her laugh. She deserved for him to come clean, and he hadn't. She deserved a much better partner than she'd been given.

School took forever, Nino and Alya frequently bringing up Marinette in the hopes of surprising him into spilling some deep dark secret. He continued to play dumb, shaking his head and giving them the innocent look that he knew always worked on Nathalie. It was a shame that when he used it as Cat it never worked on his partner, but hey, he'd take what he could get.

He was relieved to finally be free from Fencing practice and barely reached his room before he was calling out for Plagg. His relief was short-lived however, when he landed on Marinette's balcony with every intention of sitting just as he had the night before, knocking on the window for as long as it took until she let him in. But his heart fell considerably as he reached the window.

Marinette had secured a length of fabric across the glass, effectively blocking his view of her room. He raised his hand to knock anyway and faltered.

What if she wasn't alone? What if she wasn't even there but her mother was, or her father? What if she had Alya over?

He sat down before the glass and stared at the black fabric, feeling like he'd failed all over again. He sat for an hour, staring at the black square and wishing he had another way of knowing she was in there.

In the end he gave up, standing with his Sabre in his hand. He'd planned on coming over every day until she'd speak to him, wearing her down the way he couldn't at school even if she attended. He resigned himself to the fact that he probably still would, but didn't know how much success he could have if he wasn't able to knock on the glass or even see if she was there.

He glanced back at the darkened window as he vaulted from the roof, wondering how the colour that had represented freedom for him since his first moment in his suit could now make him feel so caged.


	18. Chapter 18

_Chapter Eighteen_

Wednesday rolled around and Marinette stayed home again. As they were packing up to head to lunch Alya informed them that she'd spoken her and that she was planning on coming back the next day. She looked worried behind her usual dramatic attitude, and Adrien could see that Nino was worried too. Nino wasn't one for adhering to the "boys shouldn't' have feelings" rule that Gabriel Agreste enforced. Nino made no effort to hide when he was worried about his friends, even if it was one of the other boys.

Adrien had always admired that about Nino, even though his own father had always drilled it into him that Agreste men were stoic and didn't show emotion. Emotions were a weakness, after all. But Nino? If Nino was worried about Marinette - which he frequently was due to a commendable protectiveness he seemed to harbour for her - then you could see it. It didn't mean he cried and wailed about it, but he didn't make a joke out of it if people were feeling down.

"Dude." Nino sighed, looking back at Alya with a frown. "Should we visit? She hasn't had one this bad in ages."

Alya brightened and she looked thoughtful, her brown eyes flickering to Adrien before returning to her phone.

"You know what, I think she'd like that. We could take her something, a _Get Well Soon_ present."

She was scrolling for something, and then typing. Adrien thought she was probably texting Marinette. They were inseparable besties, and it struck Adrien suddenly that Alya was the closest female friend Marinette had. Sure, she was friends with Rose and Juleka and Alix and that, but not the way she was with Nino or Cat or even Adrien. It surprised him that he'd never thought about it before.

"Yeah," Nino joined enthusiastically, one hand resting on his headphones as he tossed his rucksack onto his back. "We'll get her one of those lattes from the park that she likes. The mint ones."

"Yes!" Alya agreed, fire kindling in her eyes as she began to scheme. "I saw this gorgeous little notepad in the Stationary Shop on Monday and I was going to tell her about it yesterday. We could swing by after school and pick her one up!"

Nino pointed his fingers like a pistol and cocked his hand, closing one eye as he pretended to shoot Alya.

"The one with the little bluebird on the rim of a teacup?" he asked, grinning when Alya pulled a surprised face. "Yeah, I saw it and thought of her too!"

"Oh my god!" Alya laughed, completing his offered fist bump. "We spend way too much time together."

Nino laughed with her, shooting Adrien a grin as they left the classroom. Adrien smiled back, getting caught up in the thought of visiting Marinette with gifts and he added his own idea before he'd stopped to think about it.

"My dad got this awesome new material to try out for the next season's line. I bet Mari would love it."

He'd taken several steps before he realised they'd both stopped to stare at him, and he fidgeted nervously under their incredulous gazes. His cheeks were most definitely pink, probably edging closer to red as he looked between them.

"What?"

They shared a look, mouths agape in an exaggerated fashion that let him know he was being teased. Suddenly Alya swooned, wailing loudly and throwing the back of one hand against her forehead as she fell into Nino. The boy laughed and caught her, throwing Adrien an eye roll at her dramatics.

"Oh, Nino! We've been out-done! Our lowly tokens will stand no match against _fabric_!"

Nino chuckled and helped Alya to right herself. Adrien laughed too, wondering what he'd done to deserve such wonderfully entertaining best friends. Alya shot him a grin, feigning wounded and clutching at her heart as they set off for the lunch hall again.

"Trust an _Agreste_ to up the ante, huh?" she giggled, nudging him with her elbow the way he'd seen her do to Marinette a hundred times.

It set a warm feeling of acceptance through him, the feeling of friendship. After a year of it he still had days like this when he realised all over again how brilliant it was to have something so precious as the people he called friends.

"Well, I just thought she'd like it. I could get her something else if you don't think she'd-"

"Oh, no. You are giving that girl _fabric_. If _that_ doesn't make her fall at your feet and proclaim her love to you then nothing will."

Adrien turned scarlet at her words, spluttering as he tried to word a rebuff. Nino sent her an exasperated look but Alya seemed far too pleased with herself to look chastised. Needless to say lunch was entertaining, at least for Alya as she dropped teasing comments every now and then and Nino played mediator.

Despite feeling like he'd overheated from blushing so much Adrien thoroughly enjoyed lunch and was more reluctant than usual to return to class. He needn't have worried, for when they got back Alya proclaimed she was tired of sitting on her own and made the boys find room, dropping herself confidently in between them for their last two classes.

Surprisingly, their teachers said nothing and Alya spent every unsupervised moment teasing Adrien with notes and looks and generally being a loveable pain in the neck. He realised that she'd always been like this, and that he had somehow avoided being the victim of her merciless humour because she had Marinette.

His appreciation for his partner grew as he humoured Alya, playing dumb and then dropping ambiguous comments into their whispered conversations as innocently as possible. Between them she and Nino managed to make another day without Marinette pass faster than a snail's pace.


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter Nineteen_

It wasn't until they were making their way through the park after picking up a large mint latte that Adrien realised that it wasn't just his superhero persona that Marinette wouldn't be pleased to see. She knew now, he was absolutely sure of it. Why else would she be ignoring Cat Noir?

No, she knew. And she was mad at him. And now here he was, walking down the street to the Dupain-Cheng bakery, fully intending to visit her with their two best friends. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry at the thought of Marinette's anger. Or worse, her disappointment. His fingers clenched around the bag in his hand and he thought of the different colours inside, wrapped in layers of tissue paper and… _borrowed_ from his father's private stock room.

It wasn't like he'd ever use all of it. Their suppliers always sent reams of different fabrics as samples for the Agreste fashion legend and Adrien had taken only a few metres of each of the three he thought Marinette might like best. Okay so it was the ones that he _thought_ were best. But Marinette was a designer and a seamstress and she had taste. Something he had been raised to have.

He was almost certain she'd like the ones he'd chosen, and he felt giddy as he thought of the sketches the different textures could spark. Marinette's mind was… Well it was down right miraculous, if he was being cheesy. She was brilliant and inspired and he loved to watch her work and he loved to be able to devour the scattered papers that so often covered her desk.

It hurt to think that that may be a pleasure forever denied from him now. He didn't realise Nino was talking until Alya had to elbow him to get his attention.

"Hm? Sorry, what?"

Alya giggled.

"You and Marinette are just the same." she said slyly. "A pair of daydreamers. What a match, huh Nino?"

Nino just laughed, shaking his head fondly.

"Give the guy a break, bro. You've been on his tail all day."

Adrien bit back a grin at his words. Oh, how funny it was to be a secret cat when Nino said things like that!

"Well. It's not like I'm _lying_." she responded with a wink, making Adrien turn pink for the millionth time that day.

"Don't worry dude." Nino said, swinging his coffee-free arm around Adrien's shoulders and mussing his hair. "She's gonna _totally_ love those wicked fabrics you picked out."

"Mmhmm." Alya nodded, giving him an honest grin. "She's gonna _freak_!"

Adrien managed a smile despite the way he felt inside. She certainly _was_ going to freak. He could only hope it wasn't going to be as bad as his imagination was trying to convince him it would. He wanted to know she was okay and give her something as a token of his concern. From one friend to another. Just like Alya's notebook and Nino's coffee.

His eyes strayed again to the bag in his hand as Alya finally pushed open the bakery door. Nino called out a hello to Tom and Sabine, an old hand at visiting Marinette when she was sick. They were welcomed warmly by her parents just like they always were, and sent upstairs with cookies and macaroons.

Adrien thought he'd actually be less nervous if he was heading into an akuma battle. His palms were sweating and he could feel his knees wobbling just a little. Marinette may have been his sweet classmate who liked him and was too shy to meet his eye sometimes, but she was also his partner. And LadyBug was _fierce_. Just the way Marinette was when she put her foot down on Chloé's antics whenever the blonde was being her arrogant, bullying self.

His partner and friend was a force to be reckoned with, and he was more than a little anxious about being on the receiving end of that. Especially when she'd already made it clear that she didn't want to see him. He should have respected her wishes. He shouldn't have come here, he realised as Alya pushed open the trapdoor to Marinette's room.

He swallowed and followed them up the steps, looking around the familiar pink room with a tug in his chest. He'd been there a few times as Adrien, to play video games or study when they were paired for projects at school. But he'd spend much more time there as Cat Noir, and even though it had only been a few days he missed it.

He wanted to curl on the chaise with her and drink milk and hear her laugh and talk about her designs. He wanted to ask if she was going to make the black dress from the sketch he'd found. The black dress she had designed because she had been inspired by _him_.

His heart fell when he realised that she might never want to show him her designs again, never want to explain her choices or bicker with him over her colour schemes. He closed the door carefully behind him as he looked up, expecting any minute for Marinette to tell him to get lost. He shouldn't have just turned up like this. It was different when he tapped on the window. She had the choice, she had the ability to tell him no, to keep the glass pane closed between them.

Coming in like this meant she didn't have that choice, and Adrien felt guilty for invading her safe space.

Marinette wasn't in the room, and Alya was moving to check the bathroom when Nino pointed out the window. Adrien cringed, wondering how Marinette was going to spin the story of the black fabric over her window when he saw that wasn't what Nino meant. The window was open, swung up onto the balcony to let the sun in. There was a small lump of black on the floor in the corner, and Adrien realised Marinette must have taken it down.

His traitorously optimistic heart dared to hope it was a sign that she might not turn him away again.


	20. Chapter 20

**_(A/N):_** _Okay, so I know this has been really angsty and that maybe wasn't' what some of you signed up for, so sorry about that guys. It seems I can't help it, because I've done the same thing with other fics I'm working on. These things always end up taking on a life of their own and I just seem to let them. So again, apologies for that. Also some previous chapters have been dead short (because I'm impatient and desperate to get more out to you guys!) so heh. Here's one that's totally long. I thought about cutting it up but it really needs to flow, so yeah.  
And okay yes I give Nino some focus (sorry to those who want me to write the Adrienette already) but i guess I just love him and the friendship I imagine them having.  
As always you guys rock my world and your comments make me so excited and make me feel all worthy and stuff.  
Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty_

Marinette heard the door open in her room and she sighed. Her mother had been popping in every hour or so to check on her, protesting that she was worried about how pale she was and practically force-feeding her soup and croissants. She wasn't due up for at least another twenty minutes or so by Marinette's guess, and she flopped back against the lounge chair petulantly.

She heard the footsteps, and then was that a voice? Opening her eyes, she wished she had Cat Noir's ears, and then instantly scolded herself for thinking of him. She had proclaimed her brain a no-Cat, no-Adrien zone for the day, and so far she'd been doing okay.

Hah. Who was she kidding? She'd been doing terribly.

Her nose caught the scent just before the first face appeared at the window. Mint. Mint and a familiar cologne. She watched as he placed the coffee cup on the balcony tile and hauled himself up to sit on the edge.

"Heyy, Nettie!" he grinned, pushing his glasses back in place.

She smiled, feeling all funny and loved inside as her friend clambered to his feet and picked up the cup again.

"Hi, Nino."

He sat the coffee - her absolute favourite, no less - down on the little patio table and enveloped her in a huge hug.

"How you doing?"

She giggled into his shoulder as he squeezed her playfully.

"I'm okay, Nino."

She smiled at him when he drew back, the expression becoming a grin when he had to adjust his glasses again. He pointed a little awkwardly to the coffee beside her chair as Alya began to climb through behind him.

"Mint latte. Four sugars and whipped cream, right?"

She lifted her knuckles for a fist bump.

"You know you're the best, right?" she asked him warmly, watching him shuffle and rub the back of his head.

"I thought _I_ was the best?" Alya fake pouted, grinning and throwing herself at Marinette for a hug of her own.

Marinette laughed, almost tumbling from the chair as she was attacked by her friend and covered with her wild curls. Alya laughed and drew back, tugging her hair from where it had caught on Marinette's earring.

"You're _both_ the best." she corrected, giving them both a broad smile as she reached for the sweet-smelling drink. "But Nino brought me _coffee_."

She took a sip and closed her eyes, humming happily as the flavour hit her tongue, the coffee warming her throat.

"Aahh," said Alya when she was finished, making her look up at them again. "But _I_ brought you this!"

Marinette took the bundle thrust at her, her eyes immediately finding the logo on the plastic of the carrier bag. Her grin was instant and excited as she flashed Alya a wry glance.

"They really should have given that place a more creative name." she giggled, setting the cup aside and unwinding the bag as Nino and Alya settled on the tiles on either side of the window.

"Yeah, I _know_ right? "The Stationary Shop". How dull is that?"

"Well," said Nino in mock-thoughtfulness, "It doesn't take away from the creativity _inside_ if the name is boring. Like a really good jam with a semi-decent title so you're like really _wowed_ by the beat, y'know?"

Marinette laughed and Alya groaned.

"Everything's _noise_ with you." she muttered, teasing his music.

He didn't take the bait, rolling his shoulders and leaning back on his hands.

"I can't help it if I've got a rhythm you can't dance to."

Marinette snickered, hearing Alya swat at him as she stared at the notebook in her hands. Out of life-long habit she gently bent the soft-backed book to let the pages flick past. Page after page of creamy paper called to her, empty and inviting.

"Oh wow, Alya! This is gorgeous!"

There was a vivid bluebird embroidered on the fabric cover, eye-catching and elegant as it perched atop the delicate rim of a china teacup, the red stitching of the pattern made to look like brushstrokes on the glaze. The bird's wings were flicked just the tiniest bit at ends and the bird leaned forward almost unnoticeably, like it was readying for take-off.

Even the tablecloth was detailed and intricate, and there were slices of cakes and scones on matching plates in the background.

"Oh my god! Look at all the little details- and the _stitching_ on the tablecloth and oh! Look at the way they've done the feathers! And the eye!"

She looked up, feeling her cheeks turn pink from her enthusiasm and their amusement, seeing the way they both seemed to relax as she spoke.

"It's beautiful." she grinned, hugging it to her chest. "You're the best _ever_ , Alya!"

Alya smiled back, shooting Nino a triumphant look. But he rolled his eyes and pretended to pout - not very effectively at all - and she giggled.

"Nino and I both saw it separately and thought of you. I knew you'd love it."

Marinette looked back down at the image, her eyes unable to decide where to look first. There were leaves now, she could see, the table must be outside. With the bird, obviously. Ohh, she just adored it more than she could find the words to say.

"I'm sure we had another gift," Alya said loudly, leaning over to peer down towards the bedroom. "But I think it's hiding."

Marinette frowned, opening her mouth to ask what on earth her friend could be talking about when the blonde head appeared at the window. Adrien climbed through easily, reminding Marinette of all the practice he'd had at it over the last few months. Her stomach clenched, and Alya was chattering at a speed Marinette struggled to keep up with even when she gave her her _full_ attention. Nino laughed at something Alya had said but Marinette was far too busy staring at Adrien to wonder what it was.

He stood, resisting Alya's attempts to drag him down into a sitting position with them, his green eyes downcast as he bit his lip. His fingers were twisting the handle of the bag in his hands and his hair looked like he'd been running his hands through it, making it look more like the messy way he wore it as Cat Noir than the neat and tidy Adrien Agreste.

Alya was talking and Nino was humming along in agreement and Marinette felt cornered and surprised, unprepared to have him standing right in front of her so soon. She had been dreading school for this very reason, psyching herself up all day in preparation for the inevitably awkward conversations and looks the next day.

She wasn't ready for this, for him.

"… and so we've been totally out-done, typical, huh?"

She blinked at Alya, her eyes finally tearing from the blonde.

"Uhm. I- Uhh, I see."

Alya sighed dramatically, her arms thrown in the air as she slumped back to lie on the ground.

"Honestly Girl, what _are_ we going to do with you two? Every time I say anything you both zone out! What is going _on_?"

Marinette's eyes found Adrien without her permission, finding him right in the middle of glancing up. Their eyes met and it was electric, just as it had been for as long as Marinette could remember. But this time it wasn't just like catching Adrien's eye. It was the nervous excitement of that and it was coupled with the realisation she was looking at _Cat_. At her partner, her _Chaton_. The wickedly charming, brash boy who had been stealing her heart from Adrien for almost half a year.

From himself.

It was too much to think about, too hard to untangle because her brain wanted to think about it and her heart wanted to cry about it and she was stuck in the middle, wishing they would make up their mind so she knew what to do and how to handle the blonde who'd somehow tricked her into falling for him twice.

"Seriously bro, are you two okay?"

Nino's brow was furrowed, his amber eyes concerned and worried. Marinette shot him a pleading look, one that Alya might have ignored. But Nino had been Marinette's friend a lot longer than Alya, knew her better when it came to… Well, not things like _this_ but things that made her nervous, that made her uncertain. He would know she didn't want to talk about it and he'd help her find a way around it.

The look in his eyes changed and Marinette knew he would.

"Yeah, it's like-"

"Hey Alya?"

Alya looked over, used to being interrupted by her friends because she talked so much that sometimes there was no other way to get a word in.

"What was it Mr Trenchton said about that history assignment? I was going to pass it on to Nett and I've like, totally forgotten."

Alya laughed and rolled her eyes.

"What are you _like_ , Nino? You've forget your own head if it wasn't stuck to you!"

"Unlikely." Marinette quickly quipped, throwing Nino a grateful look as he rubbed the back of his head and tried to look like he'd really forgotten. "Where would he keep his headphones?"

Marinette watched Alya's face morph into a surprised grin as she laughed, Nino chuckling with her as she commented on those ever-present headphones, and then she turned her eyes on Adrien. He was still standing, looking awkward and out of place. But his eyes had lifted again to look at her and there was a small smile on his lips that made her heart lurch.

"Hi, Marinette." he breathed.

Her stomach did a lurching flip motion and she could already feel her face going red, her eyes stinging. She didn't know how to deal with him. He was _Cat Noir_. She knew who her partner was outside of his mask for crying out loud! That on its own was too big a concept for her to just accept, and to know it was _Adrien_ was just too much.

Knowing he'd been visiting her in his costume for all those months, knowing who she was and never telling her… It made her feel sick and used and confused. Because _she_ was LadyBug, wasn't she? So he was using her to get closer to herself. It sounded easy enough, but Marinette knew it was only the little part of her that was LadyBug that he was in treated in, and it made her heart hurt.

She'd only recently begun to allow herself to think about Cat like that, to allow herself to see him the way she had begun to. The evenings he had spent in her room with her, on the good nights and the bad ones, had become so precious to her so fast that she'd had no choice but to keep the memories safe. She had missed those nights lately, with the more frequent attacks and their homework getting heavy and the bakery being mobbed all the time.

She'd missed him. She'd missed having him around, having him listen to her complain and pore over her designs with. She'd missed having his opinion, having that connection she had never believed they could. They had bonded over lots off little things, from movies to favourite pastries and painting. He'd taken an interest in her sketches, her ideas. In _her_.

Finding out that had all been just a ploy to make her fall for him hurt. It hurt more than Marinette could ever have guessed it would and she was still hurting. She felt like she'd lost a friend, like she'd lost… Like she'd lost a _love_ , and she'd never been so devastated before. She'd trusted him. She'd confided in him, opened up to him and the whole time he had known she was his partner, had known she was his _classmate_. And he'd said nothing.

She'd trusted him, and he'd betrayed her and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to forgive him. She wasn't even sure if she could.

"He brought the coolest Get Well Soon gift ever, Nett." Nino told her softly, giving her a gentle smile when she looked at him. "It's _wicked_ bro."

He might not know what was going on, but he understood that she was upset and he knew it had something to do with Adrien and right then she just wanted to tell him, to explain it all, to give him an explanation for why she'd been absent. She

"More than wicked." Alya groaned, exaggerating how offended she was feeling. "It's just unfairly fantastic! Show her, Adrien!"

He looked at her, and his green eyes were familiar. It was like seeing two different people at once, and which one was he? Who did she treat him like? With Cat it was so easy, so natural. She could be herself and she could say the things that popped into her head and he never took offence. She could tease him and mock him and scold him and he accepted it all, unfaltering and robust.

But Adrien was… well.

He was more... _fragile_. He was so much less confident than his superhero alter ego. He was well-behaved and charming and polite and Marinette was sure that if she were to be relaxed with him the way she was with Cat she'd somehow break him.

And right then she couldn't work out who he was, like she was meeting a stranger for the first time. He was uncertain and nervous like Adrien but when he shot her that look he was asking for guidance in the way he always did when he was the cat-boy she loved. Was he both? Was he neither?

Who was this boy before her and what had she done to deserve the way he'd fooled her?

"I'm, uhm. I'm not really feeling great." she hedged, looking away, down at the notebook Alya had given her.

Alya shifted. Marinette could hear those brown-and-orange curls rustling as the girl tipped and ducked her head to try and see her friend's face. Marinette's fingers curled against the notebook, the stitching raised and every fibre bumpy under her over-sensitive fingertips. She could feel the walls closing in on her, and knew it wasn't really happening because she was _outside_ , but it- it- It was _happening._

"Are you _sure_ you'll be okay to come tomorrow, Girl?"

Marinette shifted, shrugging her shoulders as she tried to swallow the rising feeling that was trying to suffocate her. She felt the air growing scarce, like they were breathing it all and she couldn't get any. She wanted to hold onto them and yet at the same time they needed to go, she needed _space to breathe_.

There was a hand on her elbow, warmth from the fingertips sinking into her skin, and she wanted to snatch her arm away at the same time she wanted to grasp hold of it to anchor her.

"Hey, I think I need a glass of water. Come with me to get one?"

Marinette was nodding as the blood rushed in her ears, letting the hand guide her. She was soon seated at the downstairs kitchen, watching Nino as he filled glasses with water. He was humming under his breath, and when he turned to sit one glass down and pick up another Marinette could see the easy smile that she'd known all her life. In that moment she realised how important Nino was to her, the friendship they had shared for years.

They maybe hadn't been the closest pair of friends ever, but Marinette watched him fit into her kitchen so easily in his Nino-like way and she wished she'd known sooner just how strong and easy that friendship was. They didn't gossip like crazy like she did with Alya and they didn't draw like she sometimes did with Nathanaël, but Nino was there when it counted. Before Alya and Adrien had come along he had dropped by every now and then, and Marinette missed that.

It seemed it took her losing out on a new friendship to realise what she'd had all along. He turned and gave her his gentle smile, his golden eyes warm and not at all pressuring her and he sat a glass in front of her.

"Thanks, Nino." she said, and it was for more than just the water.

He tipped two fingers to the rim of his favourite red cap in a mock salute, making her giggle. She was suddenly tired, the nights of too little sleep catching up once more. She was looking forward to getting to bed that night.

"If you wanna talk, I'm here. _We're_ here. And if you don't wanna talk, that's cool too. But… Well, Adrien's been really worried about you. I dunno what's going on there, and I don't need to. I just thought you should know he cares, y'know?"

Marinette met his gaze and he fiddled with his cap, rearranging the way it sat before he pushed his glasses unnecessarily back up the bridge of his nose. She smiled, despite how weird his words made her feel. He smiled back and they sipped at the water, and for a while they simply sat there like that. Nino knew about her panic attacks, the ones she used to have more often when they were little. He knew that although the first instinct was to hug and fuss and show he cared it benefitted Marinette more to adjust on her own with him just sitting with her.

They rejoined the others and Marinette made an effort to speak to Adrien, accepting his gift of fabric and obliging Nino and Alya by taking them out and unfolding the rolled lengths to show them off. She tried her best not to meet those green eyes, knowing that to do so would only confuse her more. He was her friend and he was that something more and he was her partner and he was the boy who had found out her secret and become her friend just because he liked her alter ego.

She refused to ponder too long on the fact that he was also the boy who seemed to know her taste in fabric so much it was a little scary. The fabrics he'd brought her were beautiful, a variety of soft and silky and floaty and pale and vivid and warm. She tried to stop her heart from believing he'd chosen them because he liked Marinette and wanted to show it. That was wishful thinking, and could get her hurt more than she already was.

She felt so much better after Nino and Alya bickered and complained about schoolwork and gave her homework and argued over details that when they claimed they had to go she wasn't as relieved as she thought she'd be at the thought of peace and space. She wasn't fooled at all by the way they did it, leaving Adrien behind to eave awkwardly over her shoulder as she walked them to the bakery door.

There was no polite way to sent him running, and she knew that when she snapped at him the way she was destined to she didn't want to do it in front of their friends. There would be too many questions she didn't have answers for, too many suspicions for which she didn't have excuses to soothe. He spoke the second she returned to her room, jumping to his feet from where he was sitting.

In that chair. The one Adrien always chose, the one _Cat_ always chose. How had she ever looked over at him sitting there and not realised it was _him_ all along?

He followed her as she headed for fresh air, for the freedom of the sky above her. Her hands gripped the balcony railing as she forced herself to face him.

"I'm sorry. Can we talk? I-"

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"I just-"

A scream cut him off, as badly timed as an attack always was. Not that there was ever a good time for one, really. He glanced over the rooftops towards the sound, hearing more screams join the first. Almost certainly an akuma. A flash of blue lit up a street not too far away. Make that definitely. He glanced at Marinette, and saw the way her face changed.

Her expression settled into determination, her eyes cool and confident in a way that was so achingly familiar. She looked at him, and for the first time in days she didn't look like she wanted to make him leave. He felt guilty to be grateful for an akuma attack. But a small part of him was, if it meant she could stand to be around him.

"Claws out, Plagg." he said, watching Marinette watch him as his transformation took place, the green light reflecting in the orbs of her eyes.

She didn't shy away and she didn't look surprised. But she didn't look anything else either, her eyes guarded in a way that Cat Noir hadn't seen in a very long time.

"Ready when you are, Bug." he murmured.

She steeled, her eyes flicking away across Paris.

"Tikki? Spots on."

He watched the light radiate from her, pinky red and _warm_ like she was. He watched her move, watched the mask melt onto her eyes, accentuating the blue underneath. She stood tall when it was over, tensed and professional and so beautiful he had to swallow his gasp. She didn't look at him when she took her yo-yo out, and he fully expected her to swing off, knowing he'd follow.

But she paused, and then she surprised him by speaking.

"Ready."

One word, but it was so much better than nothing. He watched her fly, radiant and red against the evening sky, grabbing his Sabre to follow as he always had and always would.


	21. Chapter 21

_Chapter Twenty One_

HawkMoth was getting worse. They'd been aware of it for a while, talked about it on patrol and theorised in her room the nights Cat had visited. No wonder he'd taken her opinion so seriously, he'd known she was his partner and valued it because of that. But an akuma battle was not the place to be thinking thoughts like that.

She had to concentrate.

The akuma was again a victim of loss, yet another change that had concerned them. He had transformed into a gaudy and deadly mimicry of a nurse, delivering flurries of sharp medical equipment at the people in the streets. LadyBug and Cat Noir landed in sync, rolling to their feet side by side like they had a hundred times and more.

The akuma played dirty and didn't pull any punches. LadyBug was tiring as she dodged and weaved, her partner streaking like a shadow in the growing night. He was precisely where he needed to be and knew where she would be in return. Despite her focus and her determination to cleanse the dark butterfly turning the man's grief into the devastation of their city, LadyBug couldn't deny how much she loved her partner.

When he went down she swore her heart stopped.

She was behind the akumatised victim, in the process of deploying her LuckyCharm and allowing her reckless partner to perform his usual dance of distraction. The akuma seemed less interested in his puns than she herself had ever been. With a flick of his wrist he sent a collection of medical paraphernalia in the direction of the black cat, and Cat Noir dropped with a cut-off yowl.

If LadyBug fought a little more viciously than she usually did, then who could blame her?

"Miraculous LadyBug!" she screamed, throwing the little box into the air so hard she jerked her wrist.

She was at her partner's side in an instant, cradling his head as he groaned. She checked him over frantically, her fingers light and swift as she looked for wounds, checked for broken bones. He seemed fine, but he was groggy and jerky like he'd just woken up. Her thumb brushed his cheek without thought, her touch reluctant as she checked for a head wound.

"Noir? Can you hear me?"

The akuma victim was coming round too, she could hear him gasping and questioning. He sounded as disoriented as her partner seemed, and LadyBug barely spared the man a glance before she gathered Cat up. Her earrings were beeping and although he hadn't used his Cataclysm, LadyBug wasn't sure whether he partner's transformation would hold should he fall unconscious or suffer a concussion.

She shifted his weight in her arms, trying to breathe regularly as she listened to his mewling moans as she reached for her yo-yo. There were already people taking pictures as she threw out the string. She swung into the air, heading off for somewhere safe. She was too far from home to risk the journey with an unconscious Cat Noir, and his home was even further. In the end she alighted in a familiar alley, resting against the wall as she sank down onto the ground.

She was exhausted, drained physically and emotionally and she didn't have the energy right then to feel anything other than the worry for her partner.

"Marinette? HawkMoth's getting so much worse. I haven't been this exhausted since your beginning!" Tikki wailed, dropping onto Marinette's shoulder and curling up.

"Oh Tikki, I know! And it's just the worse time, too. Noir? Noir, can you hear me?"

She bit her lip, glancing up and down the alley way until she was certain there was nobody around.

"Adrien?" she whispered, leaning down to brush his fringe from his face.

His mask was smooth under her fingers, and she wondered how on earth they'd gotten to where they were. Her partner groaned under the touch, his eyelids fluttering as he turned his head into her. Marinette's fingers were in his hair before she even realised, gently scratching one soft black ear.

"Adrien, you need to wake up. Tikki? Is the magic working? Why isn't he waking up?"

The Kwami yawned, her big blue eyes blinking up at her.

"Yes, Marinette. Give it time to work."

Marinette held her breath, her teeth biting a furrow into her bottom lip. Regardless of what he'd done and how mad she was at him for letting her believe the friendship blossoming between them was real, he was her partner and he mattered a great deal to her. She caved to the feeling of holding Cat, fighting the worry knotting her stomach as he began to waken.

Suddenly, Cat bolted upright, his glowing green eyes wide and terrified.

"Mari!"

Marinette jumped, his shout startling her so badly she knocked him from her lap. He looked up at her from the ground, his eyes wide and his face frightened, and she felt a fierce protectiveness burning in her chest. It took him a moment to realise where he was. He watched her, seeing the surprise and uncertainty on her face. She looked utterly out of her depth and he reached for her instinctively. He watched as something strange took over her face, and he watched her eyes begin to glisten. She curled away from him, and his hand halted half-way there.

"Can you get home?" she asked him, and he was stunned to hear her voice wobble.

"Wh- Yeah, yeah I- Why?"

"I gotta go." she whispered back, and before he could stop her she was on her feet and out of the alley. Marinette left him feeling dazed and confused from more than the attack.

What on earth...?


	22. Chapter 22

**_(A/N):_** _Every now and then you get a comment with a theory, and I'm sure at some point we've been the one to leave on, especially if you've ever been involved with a WorkInProgress. All of your comments always make my day, and I'd like to acknowledge Lmb111514 for hitting the nail right on the head about the akuma. It was actually one of those times where I had an "OhmyGod, I'm not the only one. People **will** get what I mean, then." moment. I wasn't sure how people would receive the thought, so it was really affirming to have someone guess it. (As spooky as it also was. Are you in my head right now? Wow.)  
Happy reading, guys!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Two_

He'd called her _Mari_ in the aftermath of a battle and it was too much, too close, too _real_. She was only just out of her costume. He had been unconscious and didn't know she'd detransformed. Something like that was dangerous. And it was the exact reason she had wanted to remain a secret.

 _What if they hadn't been in an alley?_

 _What if she hadn't gotten him out?_

If he went around blurting it out like that she was done for. For two days she'd been angry, every scenario she could fear going round and round in her head. Her imagination had driven her to despair as she came to terms with her secret being out. She had thought she'd be mad when he did something like this. She had expected him to and she'd thought she'd rage and shout at him for doing something so thoughtless. But in reality it had been nothing of the sort.

In reality, Marinette felt… _frightened_.

He knew her biggest secret. Her most dangerous and serious secret. The secret that could put her family in danger and hurt her friends. The secret that could destroy everything that LadyBug stood for, everything that Cat Noir stood for. The safety of Paris would be in danger if they knew who they were under the masks. And she had never planned for anyone to know. Not even when she was feeling guilty for abandoning her friends on _yet another_ afternoon with a half-baked excuse had she considered telling them.

She'd wished a few times that there was a way to let them understand. To let them know she loved them dearly and didn't want to have to keep bailing on them. That she'd stay if it wasn't so very important to keep Paris and its people safe. But she had never truly considered telling them, or anyone. Least of all her blabber-mouth of a partner. Because he'd just done exactly what she was terrified he would.

He'd let it slip. This time it had been in the safety of the shadows, but what about next time? What about the next time they were bickering or on patrol and he called her Marinette? It wasn't like it was a truly popular name. And if anyone heard they'd _know_ he knew. It would put them both in more danger than they already were because if HawkMoth could get to their civilian selves they would very likely be done for.

And even with everything she was feeling and all the scenarios she had envisioned and how _angry_ and hurt she was at him for betraying her trust, Marinette knew without doubt that if HawkMoth worked out who Cat Noir was and used him to bait her… She'd go. She knew she would. She'd do whatever it took to keep him safe and that was _without_ knowing he was her close friend and her crush. Because he was her partner in crime-fighting, her partner on patrol. The black cat she'd have by her side on the rooftops before anyone else.

The reckless, light-hearted flirt she'd begun falling in love with.

If HawkMoth used Cat's secret against her she knew she'd walk into any scenario he asked of her. Even when she knew it'd be stupid and cost her everything. Cost Paris everything. Because she'd never turn her back on Noir. And she knew, as she sighed and closed her trapdoor behind her, as she threw herself on her bed and as Tikki settled on the pillow beside her to soothe her, that he would do the same.

Cat Noir would risk everything for her like he had in battle so many times already, and the thought chilled her blood. She knew if their identities got out she would be a target. A big one. Everyone had always considered LadyBug to be the bigger player of the two and even though she had always argued it she knew it meant HawkMoth would target _her_. And her idiotic partner would dive in headfirst without a plan if he thought he could save her.

He'd do it even if he knew beyond doubt that he didn't have a chance.

Because he was reckless and thoughtless and big-hearted. It was something that had always infuriated her, his lack of levity when things were tough. That he'd barrel in thoughtlessly because he let his emotions rule him. And the thought of him being in danger because of her secret was terrifying and awful.

Because she loved that idiotic, thoughtless, brazen prankster of a black cat more than she had ever even feared she could.

Marinette fell asleep uneasily, dreading the day ahead and wishing she could stay home forever. Or at least until she felt ready to face Adrien when they knew what they knew about each other. She tossed and turned and Tikki's soothing little touches on her cheek didn't work their magic and calm her the way they usually did.

When Cat Noir dropped onto her balcony in the middle of the night, knowing he shouldn't and yet doing it anyway, he found the black cloth still tacked to Marinette's window. He had expected as much but could never sleep easy after a battle where one of them had been hurt. It had quickly become routine to visit Marinette if he had been hurt, or even if his lady had. Her company and her gentleness had never failed to make him feel just that bit better. Better enough to soothe his worries, better enough to send him to sleep when he returned home.

She would tease him, her favourite form of attack being a glass of milk and a cheeky look in her eyes, and they'd sit close together eating pastries and talking about anything and everything. The battle or deliberately something else, and if it had been really bad somehow she'd know and she would hand him painkillers with the wry authority in her eyes that wouldn't be out of place on a doctor's face. He knew now of course why she had always known when he was feeling the pain linger, but at the time he'd simply assumed she'd watched the news. Knowing she cared had always been so wonderful that he'd never looked at it too closely.

He hadn't expected her window to be open for him, or even for the fabric to be gone. But he'd had to come anyway, had to check she was okay even though he knew it was idiotic to think otherwise. But the fear remained from the battle, from the dreadful pain of the akuma's attack.

Because what they hadn't been able to work out in battle was what the akuma was doing. They had seen the victims go down and they had heard the pained screams, and seen the way that it had changed them as they ran from it. They had assumed it was painful, had realised it was doing something they themselves couldn't see. But they hadn't known what and when he'd been hit he'd knocked his head against the pavement and hadn't been able to tell her.

But it was arguable that being unconscious while the attack tore through his mind and heart was a worse fate than a physical wound. He was certain he'd rather lose a limb than go through it again. He'd consider giving up his superhero status if he never had to think about that akuma again.

The distraught man's akuma attack had been psychological. Although the medical paraphernalia he blasted through the air tore skin and raised bruises, the effect of their intent was most potent in the minds of the victims. Cat Noir knew now why the screaming had been so dreadfully worse than it usually was.

The man had been devastated by grief, a target HawkMoth seemed to be favouring lately. Until recently they had theorised that the villain must be staying away from the deepest, worst emotional imbalances in their city, the people who suffered loss. Marinette had theorised one night that maybe the pain they felt made them hard to control, harder to predict and HawkMoth wanted their Miraculous'. He needed villains who could take his orders. They had assumed that was why he most often targeted stricken teenagers, because they were more likely to listen to him than fully grown adults.

But he'd changed his ways lately, sending akumas after them that wanted to do more serious damage than they ever had before. As they'd grown stronger as akuma-fighting partners, HawkMoth had gotten better at attacking their city.

And this time the akuma had struck people down by his own grief. Instead of physically separating the victims in the street like the two akumas they had fought days before, this guy had given his victims the emotional experience in a way they couldn't run from.

He'd put it into their head that they'd lost someone too.

Cat Noir had fallen to the ground and hit his head under the weight of the thought that Mari was gone. He had been trapped inside the nightmare, feeling his heart tearing and twisting painfully within the cage of his ribs and he had never known anything so awful. It had been like losing his mother. He'd felt Marinette was gone, and even as he'd been able to reason that she _couldn't_ be because she'd been right there, the emotion had washed through him and it had been devastating.

He'd been overcome by the grief of knowing that she was _gone_ , and he was embarrassed to say he hadn't been able to fight the feeling with logic. It had been the worst nightmare he thought he'd ever had and he'd woken with a shout, her name fragile on his tongue. To open his eyes and find her _there_ , right there in front of him, had rendered him speechless with relief.

He'd felt lightheaded and confused as he woke up properly, the dream slipping away with the help of Kwami magic and consciousness and the sight of _her_. She'd run off before he could truly touch her, her voice jumbled in his ears. He thought he'd answered something she'd asked but couldn't remember what because he had been too busy staring at those blue eyes he loved so much and feeling the knowledge that she was _alive_ and _right there_ drench him in joyful affirmation.

So he'd had to come over, feeding Plagg and apologising in the way that was now so routine that the Kwami barely argued any more. He'd vaulted over to alight on the balcony railing, saddened by the black fabric square he had known would be there. He sat in front of it cross-legged and quiet, pricking his ears and straining to hear through the muffling effect of the material. He heard her breathing, the heavy sound of sleep coating her breath.

He breathed along with her, listening to the sound and letting it reassure him. Marinette was okay. She wasn't gone like he'd been made believe. She was right there on the other side of the window, probably curled in her bed or maybe asleep at her desk like she had a habit of being. He sat for a half hour in the falling darkness, listening and breathing, the cool glass against his forehead as he felt himself relaxing.

It wasn't anything close to the feeling of being inside with her, curled and letting her voice and fingers soothe him. But knowing she was okay was the main thing. He drew out his Sabre and toyed with it as he stood up, staring at the familiar green paw print and thinking of her and where they were.

She was still mad at him for not telling her sooner and he understood it. He knew she'd need time to get over it and time to acquaint herself with the knowledge of who he was. He was worried beyond belief about what she thought. She may have as good as admitted she liked both sides, but that didn't mean she automatically agreed he was worthy.

It had struck Adrien in class how much he was worried about that. Yes of course he was worried about how they would move on from there, because they _would_ , wouldn't they? They had to. For the good of Paris and themselves they would have to find a way to get past this mess. But more even than he worried about whether she could ever love him, Adrien worried about whether she felt he was good enough to be her partner.

He'd second-guessed himself a mere handful of times as the black cat. He felt confident and sure behind his mask and he had _seen_ the good they could accomplish. But he'd never felt so afraid that he wasn't worth the mask, worth the Sabre and worth Plagg. LadyBug was an amazing superhero, the best that anyone could hope for. And Marinette was wondrous out of her mask too. Was he really good enough to be put up there on the rooftops with her?

And more importantly did _she_ think he was worthy of it?

Because more even than he loved his lady, and more than he had fallen for Marinette, he valued who they were. He held their partnership, their friendship so close to his heart that to find out she didn't would kill him. He wouldn't give up her company for anything in the world, and if when Marinette finally spoke to him she told him they could never be anything more than friends he'd be devastated for sure because he _loved_ her more than he truly had words to express.

But if she told him they couldn't be _partners_ , if she told him they could be _friends_ , that one or both of them would have to give up their powers or that they'd have to disband their partnership, he wouldn't survive it. He trusted her and he loved her and she'd saved his tail more times than he really deserved.

LadyBug and Marinette were his world now, in and out of the mask and the fear of losing either was paralysing.

Cat Noir nearly went home with those dreadful thoughts and fears plaguing his mind. Very, very nearly.

Almost.

But as he turned to extend his Sabre out his cat's eyes caught the patio table beside Marinette's lounge chair, and his heart fumbled in his chest for several beats.

Because atop the little tabletop sat a glass, and beside it a round blue saucer. He felt his eyes watering and although he could laugh at himself he didn't. He was too busy grinning like the idiot he was.

Because within the glass was milk, a single ice cube melting within, and atop the saucer lay a chocolate croissant, - his favourite - its golden flaky embrace nestling two small capsules he knew were painkillers.

Cat stared at them for a very long moment before reaching out, feeling small and delicate and close to tears, his mouth curling into a fragile smile.


	23. Chapter 23

_**(A/N):** This took me a little longer than it really could have, but I've been on Nightshifts at work and writing while exhausted afterwards, so I apologise if I've made some gigantic mistake and not caught it on my read-throughs. There will probably be a re-draft some time.  
You guys are amazing and your comments make my day!  
Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Three_

Marinette yawned, laying her cheek on the crook of her elbow as she stared at a small mark on the far wall. Her desktop had no right to be so inviting when she was this tired. She blinked, determined to keep her eyes open as she stifled another yawn. She'd gotten up early despite her own protests, getting to school early enough to avoid her friends. With any luck they'd hang about outside until the bell went, and then conversation would be restricted to what they could get away with in class.

She'd even managed to have a croissant for breakfast. What a roll she was on.

The thought of croissants guided her mind right back to the boy causing the anxiety in her stomach. Chocolate croissants, to be exact. The ones her father filled with chocolate tubes before he baked them, the way he did with pain au chocolats. Cat Noir had taken a liking to them right from the start and secretly she had always tried to hide one for him in the hopes of a visit even though they were always in such high demand in the bakery.

She wondered if he'd come last night and if he had seen what she had done. Her brain was nagging her about it and she was aware the message it could send but she had not been able to even consider not doing it. He'd been hurt. Hurt badly enough that he was knocked unconscious, and she was worried about him. She hadn't been able to handle the thought of a visit just yet, but she'd done what she could to…

To what, exactly?

To show him she cared? Why should she? To prove something? To ease her own conscience?

All she knew for sure was that her heart wouldn't let her go to bed until she had. She hadn't been brave enough to climb out to check when she woke up. For all she knew the offering still sat there attracting pigeons, with the milk growing warm and smelly in the sunshine. Her traitorous thoughts turned to the little sleeve in her bag, the four little painkillers in their silver cocoons. She told herself that he didn't deserve her fussing over him, but her heart simply wouldn't allow her to neglect him.

She tried to convince herself that she was only doing it because she'd need him if there was another akuma attack.

She'd closed her eyes. She forced them open with a scowl, wishing she'd thought ahead and had a coffee. Or bought one. But she'd been focused on getting to school before the early riser that was Alya. Even just the _thought_ of the bespectacled girl's many questions made her groan. Hopefully she'd just rattle on about the akuma battle. Marinette often liked to listen to Alya theorise. Her take on events could be refreshing, if a little obsessive.

"… really makes me wonder is who _he_ lost. I mean, aren't you even a little curious?"

Her luck wasn't to hold today, then. Marinette opened her eyes again as she listened to Alya walking towards the classroom, a low voice accompanying her. Marinette idly wondered what she was talking about. The tone of voice was excited, loud and tinted in that _Alya-ish_ in a way that usually meant superheroes, or secrets. Or conspiracies. Or Marinette's crush on Adrien. Thankfully the girl seemed to have forgotten about the _online boy_.

She watched two of her friends walk around the corner of the door, the blonde she was desperate to avoid thankfully missing.

"… maybe it wasn't _her_ , y'know? I know you're desperate for them to be this thing but Alya you gotta remember- _Hey_ Nett!"

Marinette grinned at him, feeling her worry dissipate. She could totally handle this.

"Good Morning, Nino. Alya, I could hear you all the way from the front steps."

Alya rolled her eyes and raced up to their bench to give her a tight hug, dropping her bag unceremoniously in the process. Nino sighed and scrambled to right it, collecting the pencils rolling away from an unzipped pocket.

"Psssh. So I'm louder than some people. Sue me. I'm good until my voice is more annoying than Chloé's. _Then_ I'll worry."

Marinette snickered as Alya laughed outrageously, Nino watching them with a grin. He placed something firmly in front of Marinette, its base thunking in a familiar-sounding manner. She saw the brown cardboard and felt her smile soften.

"I had a feeling that if you made it in you might need _that_."

She met his amber eyes and he gave her that easy, familiar smile.

"I know you're all about Alya," Marinette replied as she reached for the coffee cup, "but I have to say I love you, _bro_."

Nino blushed very red, his eyes flickering about as he gave an embarrassed chuckle and fingered the rim of his hat. Marinette giggled, taking a sip from the cup and almost moaning as the coffee hit her tongue. _Mint latte_. Was there anyone in the world who had better friends than her? She'd bet not.

"Ooft. Truancy's changed you." Alya wailed dramatically, giving both of her friends a friendly punch on the arm.

"I always knew I wouldn't be an angel for ever."

"Do they even accept applications from angels who fall over all the time? Because y'know, I think they have this graceful image to uphold."

Marinette shot her a mock glare, sticking out her bottom lip. But she didn't reply, far too busy having _coffee_.

"Dude," Nino interjected on her behalf, "you said you'd play nice." he teased.

Marinette laughed as she watched Alya splutter, waving her arms with a little more energy than truly necessary. Marinette knew they were trying to make her laugh on purpose and she loved them for it. Her friendship circle may be small, but she loved them dearly and they were the best around. That horrid recurring realisation about the friendship she thought she was crafting with Cat Noir came back again, and she tried to shove it from her head.

She had other friends, _good_ friends. Friends who worried about her and came over to make her feel better and acted like idiots to make her smile because they knew she was feeling down.

"Besides," she replied thoughtfully, tapping her chin with one finger, "my _truancy_ gave you loads of extra time with Nino. I don't know what you're complaining about."

She grinned devilishly as Alya squeaked off mid-sentence, her grey-brown eyes widening hilariously. Nino coughed, but he was watching Alya closely, his eyes wide as he awaited her reaction. The expression was so similar to the one that… Nope. Not going there. She smirked at Alya as the girl scowled.

"Oh, no. No, no, _no_. You don't get to make jokes, _or_ do the matchmaker thing." Alya huffed, rolling her eyes at Marinette's raised eyebrow as she sipped on her coffee.

"Oh?"

"Yes, oh. You can't spend forever pining for a guy and give other people advice."

She sniggered at Marinette's surprised squeak, her eyes bright as she watched Marinette try not to choke on her coffee. She beat Nino to reaching over, slapping her back to help her out. They watched Marinette get her breath back, and both were startled into protests when she finally gave a watery smile and found her voice.

"You're one to talk."

She swallowed more coffee as she watched her huff and throw her arms about, a gesture so _Alya_ that it always made her feel like the world was okay again.

"I've had enough of this conversation." Alya finally sighed, pulling her phone from her pocket and straightening up, suddenly all business. It was comical to see.

Marinette and Nino shared a look, a silent agreement on where the conversation was bound to be headed if Alya had taken control.

"What do you think about last night, Girl?"

She had opened a window on her phone, playing a video from the LadyBlog. Marinette cringed as she watched it, remembering the moves she was pulling on the screen. It would always be weird to be presented with images of herself in costume. It was a strange experience to watch herself save Paris, far more strange than watching a video of her civilian self. Alya's recorded voice was racing in the background noise as the camera moved, and Marinette felt the clench in her heart she always did when she thought of Alya so close to a battle.

"You're going to get hurt one of these days." she told her quietly.

Her eyes were fixed on the screen as she saw Cat Noir streak across the ground towards the akumatised man. Alya shrugged one shoulder, frowning as she re-watched the battle with them.

"Risk of the job." she answered, sounding like it was nothing. "I mean, LadyBug would probably save me, and if I got hit by anything she'd be fixing it anyway. You should have more faith in the best heroine the world has to offer, Girl!"

Marinette fidgeted, tearing her eyes from the little screen to look up at her friend.

"Just try to be careful," she asked. "please."

Alya gave her a little shove, grinning widely.

"Hey! I'm _always_ careful," she argued. "but I'll keep it in mind. Concern noted. Now look! Here's the part where-"

The moment happening on screen cut her off, but Marinette was certain it was the moment she was talking about anyway. She forgot to breathe as she watched, her stomach cold. Cat was doing backflips and spins, waving his hands and calling out his usual nonsense to catch the akuma's attention. He even did a cartwheel, and Marinette felt irrationally angry at him as she watched him turn to face the akuma just as it blasted the air between them.

The stupid cat had gotten himself _hurt_ again.

She watched him get hit, wincing but managing to stop herself from looking away. He looked surprised and then pained as he lost his footing, dropping onto the Parisian street at a horrible angle. His head connected with the pavement and he went still, and Marinette could _feel_ the scream in her throat as she heard it from the speakers.

"I mean how can you say they're _not_ when she.."

Alya was gesturing with the phone to Nino, her eyes shooting to him.

"You can _see_ it. It's totally a thing."

Nino only rolled his eyes, resting his chin on his fist as he sighed at her in a long-suffering manner.

"You underestimate their friendship, bro. Maybe they _are_ a thing, but just because she cares doesn't mean she loves him like _that_."

Marinette didn't want to do this conversation today. It was a familiar one, one that Alya was always adamant and firm about.

"Haven't they said in interviews that they're not?" she asked, as always.

Alya had been waiting for it and pounced straight away, shoving the phone under her nose.

"Look at this thought, look at the way she fought last night."

Marinette didn't want to see it, and watching herself on screen confirmed it.

They never fought in anger, in rage, when they battled. They fought in hope and in the belief they were doing the right thing. They fought in fun even though it was serious. They fought with humour and they fought fairly. They tried to do as little damage as possible while still doing enough to reach the akuma object.

But on the screen, LadyBug was fighting viciously, her yo-yo thrown with more force than usual as she truly _attacked_ the akuma. She had accessed her pent-up anxiety and worry and turned it into the force she threw behind her yo-yo. LadyBug fought _dangerously_ , and it worried her now.

 _What if that was exactly what HawkMoth wanted? What if he had some big plan to get them to go against what they always tried to uphold, one step at a time?_

 _What if he was tiring them out and making them angry so they would make mistakes?_

It made her feel ill to see herself fight so wildly, so without concern. She had always thought she fought only just enough to win. She didn't like to fight, to hurt the person behind the akuma. She had always reasoned it was the only way.

"I mean, she cares about him, Alya. But it doesn't mean she's in love with him." Nino repeated absently, hunting in his pocket for something.

"Whatever." Alya answered, watching as the LadyBug on the screen scooped up her partner and swung them away. "What I _really_ want to know was what he saw."

"Yeah," Nino replied, typing into his phone with a frown before looking up and smiling sympathetically. "I'm kinda curious about that too."

Marinette looked between them as Alya closed down the video and began to scroll through her blog.

"What he saw?"

She didn't even hear the answer as she saw the movement in the corner of her eye. The flash of blonde caught her attention and she couldn't stop her eyes from meeting his, the tingle in the air warming her ears. He approached his desk, his eyes never faltering on hers as he slid onto his bench.

She wanted his friendship, _Cat's_ friendship, more than she'd ever wanted anything and it made her sick to think he'd used it as a tool. It wasn't _fair_. Their evenings in her room had become so precious to her, their growing friendship powerful. She'd truly thought that _Marinette_ could be enough. That maybe she was worth his time even when her mask was off.

She should have known better than to think she was worth that.

"Good Morning, Marinette." he finally said, and she knew that ignoring him all day was going to kill her.

"Good Morning." she whispered, and looked away.

"… and then I wondered- You're not even _listening_. Honestly, you are the _worst_ , Girl!"

"Sorry." she tried to smile. "Sleepy."

Alya rolled her eyes and Nino shot a look from her to Adrien, but they didn't say anything.

"I was _saying_ that I wondered who Cat Noir lost, you know?"

Marinette frowned, fighting the urge for her eyes to look for him instinctively.

"Lost? What are you talking about?"

Alya looked at her wide-eyed, as if she'd told her she didn't know what planet they were on. Marinette looked at Nino, and even he looked surprised, like she was missing something incredibly obvious.

"What?"

"Do you like, live under a _rock_? Like, is there one in your room that you sort of just hide under from _life_?"

Marinette looked between them at Alya's tone, and to her surprise when she looked at Adrien he looked away.

Alya launched into an explanation, and Marinette's world darkened just a little more. Suspicion grew as Alya detailed everything, and the urge to look at Adrien intensified with every word. When Alya finally reached the end of her theory and explanation Marinette couldn't take it any more. She looked at him, feeling horrified and sick.

"He- He- He _lost_ a loved one?" she whispered finally, her eyes growing wet at an alarming speed. "That's horrible."

"Yeah!" Alya responded, a little too enthusiastically. "And _I_ want to know whether it was LadyBug, because they're totally a thing even if you lot deny it and I want to know if HawkMoth is…"

Adrien's eyes were downcast, his cheeks tainted pink as he pretended to hunt through his schoolbag for something. Their classmates were arriving in bulk now, filtering into the classroom in twos and threes and filling the air with the warm, chaotic chatter Marinette secretly loved. She'd missed it, being off. She'd missed _them_. Well, maybe not Chloé or Sabrina, but the rest for sure. She'd missed the weekly Art Club Lunch meeting with Nathanaël, missed hearing about the progress Rose was making on her current charity. She'd even missed listening to Alix and Kim argue and bet, missed the antics the whole class somehow got involved in every time.

But that all faded as she stared at Adrien and thought about how horrible it must have felt, trapped inside his head with a nightmare like that playing out. And she didn't even consider the possibility that his being unconscious had saved him from it, because she could see just by looking at him that he most definitely had suffered at the hands of the akuma.

And she'd refused him their usual aftermath, the opportunity to eat pastries and de-stress. Her partner had gone through something traumatic and she'd been a cold-hearted person and blocked him out. He knew she knew who he was, he must feel her gaze on him now and she felt utterly wretched. She didn't realise her tears had spilled over until Nino reached up behind Adrien to touch her hand.

She jumped in surprise, taking in a sudden, snuffling breath. His warm amber eyes were concerned, and she felt herself turning red as she rubbed her eyes in quick, embarrassed movements.

"Sorry," she croaked out, suddenly feeling it impossible to look at Adrien any more. "I- It's so _awful_..."

She thought of her partner losing someone, and it made her feel cold and angry, like she would fight for him not to. And she would, wouldn't she? She'd fight any battle of his in any capacity she could because he was her best friend in the whole world and he was… Well he was _Cat_. _Her_ Cat.

And he was Adrien, she realised, feeling the urge to be sick rising. The thought made everything worse.

They didn't know exactly what had happened to Adrien's mother, only that she wasn't in his life any more and that there was a certain day in the spring when Adrien didn't feel like talking or coming to school, the same day that for years Gabriel Agreste had labelled a Personal Day. The fashion world had thought him aloof and mysterious. Gossip over the significance of the day was rife. But Marinette had always been one of the people wondering if it was in memory of his lost wife. It had never seemed appropriate to query Adrien, and Marinette had never felt inclined to.

To think he had gone though that all over again, unable to even open his eyes to escape it, made Marinette want to pull him into a tight hug and apologise for all the trouble that she had caused him. That she was causing him still.

"Yeah," Nino sighed, looking uncomfortable. "I can't imagine going through that. When we lost my dad it was _heavy_."

Marinette nodded, her blue eyes knowing. "You were only five," she whispered, feeling her heart hurting at the memory, "I remember when they told us at school not to talk about it."

Nino looked away, rubbing the back of his head and sorting the way his hat was sitting.

"Yeah. Poor Cat Noir."

Marinette let her eyes stray to Adrien, who was looking at her desk in a sad and faraway manner. She felt her fingers itching to reach for him.

"Poor _Chaton_."

Green eyes met hers and Marinette felt everything crumbling as she looked at him.

"Oh, _Adrikins!_ I had the most _awful_ night! I got attacked by that horrid little akuma man and I had the most terrible certainty that I'd _lost_ you!"

Chloé had caught him unawares, smothering him in an embrace that made Marinette feel uncomfortably jealous and upset. Adrien's eyes were gone from her, and he turned his face a little further the other way as one long-nailed hand pawed at his face and hair.

"Thank goodness you're _okay_!"

Marinette couldn't watch it, glaring fiercely down at her jotter as she half-listened to Alya's under-her-breath mutterings. They helped Marinette crack a smile, Nino's clear disapproval of Chloé's perfume making her snort out a giggle.

"Uhh, yeah. Yeah, I'm… fine."

Marinette may be feeling overly wishful, but it sounded a little like Adrien was trying to fob her off. Marinette looked up again at the sound of his voice - so very clearly lying - to find him extracting himself from Chloé's grip as politely as possible. The blonde was fluttering her eyelashes and simpering the deepest pouted Marinette had ever seen. And _she_ babysat Manon.

But Adrien was smiling at her, murmuring platitudes as she detailed her _experience_. Marinette didn't believe it for a minute. She was sure that even someone as shallow as Chloé wouldn't use an attack like that for such a shallow reason as getting a boy to pay her attention. Her stomach churned as she considered the thought of Adrien having to go through such a thing. Of _Cat_ going through it.

She should have let him in last night. She should have taken down the fabric, left the window wide open for him.

He'd gone through that all alone, and she could have helped him. She hated herself for the rest of the day, feeling like a terrible friend and an even worse partner. She had often suspected that Cat Noir deserved a better partner than her, and it seemed she had been right all along. He deserve better than that, deserved better than _her_.

When she finally got home, Marinette stared long and hard at the black square tacked to her skylight. It blocked most of the sunlight in the room, forcing her to rely on her light and lamps to see. She hadn't chosen to use her black material on purpose, it had just been the first piece to hand. Or so she told herself. She hadn't used one of the fabrics he had given her, hadn't even dared to take them from the bag lest she ruin them before she thought of a worthy project.

No, she had used a piece of the fabric she had gotten for the dress. The black one so clearly inspired by her partner that it couldn't be more obvious even if she added ears on a headband.

 _Now that she thought about it…_

In the end the material came down. Marinette tried to reason that she needed the sunlight for Vitamin D, and she'd ruin the fabric if she left it in the direct sunlight for too many days and that she could use it for other things, but really, she knew.

She sat on the balcony for an hour or so, and once she'd had dinner she returned, watching the sun set over her city and gripping her phone hard enough to leave ridges in her skin. It was truly evening by the time she finally gathered her courage.

Or stupidity.

She pressed the send button before she could chicken out pr change her mind, feeling anxious and angry and sorry and _exhausted_.

 _We need to talk._


	24. Chapter 24

_**(A/N):** Hey! I know it's been a while, but life is this thing that I hate not being able to pause for a few days. It's a long chapter, but there you are. We finally got to the conversation. We're nearing the end of our tale, but we've still got chapters left. We're not quite done yet!_  
 _As ever, you all rule. Your comments are the highlight of my day and I get incredibly excited when the little e-mail notifications come through! Criticism welcome!_  
 _Happy reading guys!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Four_

Plagg let out an unhappy grumble when he was dislodged from his perch on Adrien's shoulder. The blonde had come home despondent, as he had for the past several days, and the Kwami had had no luck coaxing any form of conversation from him. Never one to turn down a nap, however sullen his Chosen was when taking it, Plagg had eventually crept onto the curve where Adrien's shoulder met his neck.

That display of affection was probably the cause of his bad mood now, but Adrien didn't miss the little glance the Kwami sent him before he seemed to deem his retorts suitable.

"You should get rid of that thing." he sniped, settling on the recently vacated pillow and setting his lazy green eyes on his charge.

He may gripe and grumble constantly, but Adrien knew Plagg cared a great deal for him. And the Kwami had been incredibly frustrated and - _perhaps_ \- maybe even slightly worried, not that he would admit it. Adrien turned to look at him and even managed a smile at the black cat's rolled eyes.

"She _texted_. She- She wants to talk." he whisper-shouted, his eyes gleaming as his heart began to rise hopefully.

His Kwami simply snorted, dropping his gaze to brush imaginary crumbs from his paws. Then he shook himself and looked back up at his charge with his head tilted to one side and one ear cocked. His knowing gaze said _Well?_

At Adrien's grin the Kwami flicked the other ear.

"Claws out." Adrien said, his grin widening even as he watched the little black cat disappear into his ring.

He was out the window in seconds, vaulting to the closest rooftop in a practiced manner. He managed to cross two streets before releasing a joyful whoop, excitement and adrenaline singing in his blood as he took a familiar path. He was on his way to visit Marinette. He _lived_ for visiting Marinette. There were days when he had felt that his visits with her were the only thing keeping him sane.

It wasn't long before her balcony came in sight, and he very nearly missed a landing as he caught sight of her. His heart gave a mighty leap in his ribcage and he could already feel his cheeks flooding with colour. He was nervous, sure. Terrified of what she was going to say. But he couldn't deny the excitement, the _hope_ at the thought that she might forgive him. That soon they might be back to how they were before.

She looked up before he ever reached the house across the street, as though she could sense him. For some reason that thought made Cat want to kiss her, more than he already almost always did. He pushed that far from his mind as he met her eyes, and for a long moment they just stared at each other across the dying evening light, the gentle breeze ruffling her hair and giving the tops of her cheeks a pink tinge.

Marinette looked at those green eyes and felt her confidence dwindling fast. And it wasn't even knowing that it was Adrien perched on the roof across from her, his head tipped marginally to one side as he watched her warily.

She didn't know quite when, but somewhere along the line of the last half a year she had begun to trust Cat. She'd always thought herself completely comfortable around her partner, or at least almost completely. She had always been grateful for that easy familiarity, even though she didn't always acknowledge it.

But then what?

Somehow, somewhere after that first accidental visit to her balcony she had grown a confidence around Cat that had nothing to do with LadyBug, and everything to do with Marinette. He had looked at her from behind that black mask and she had believed he had been seeing _her_. For who she really was. He had been visiting and smiling at _her_ and it had given Marinette a warmth that she hadn't even realised she had wanted.

His brief hellos and their patent banter had grown into something much more serious for her, and she had thought it was happening for him too. That Cat had somehow managed to stumble across her real self and found he liked her. She hadn't realised how her heart was falling for him until it was far, far too late and try as she might even now after finding out their friendship had all been a ploy, Marinette's heart trembled at the sight of him.

Because it seemed that even knowing what he'd done was all for LadyBug, her heart had taken his betrayal and still wanted him anyway.

It hit Marinette full in the face that not once had she truly acknowledged that her partner had become so important. In more than just their suits. Marinette had come to depend upon him when she was feeling blue. Alya was amazing, and Marinette loved her because no matter what the problem she had Alya could think of an easy, stress-free way out. And Nino had been there for her more times than she could ever hope to count, understanding when she needed company without the chaos and craziness of Alya.

But Noir… Marinette had been able to open up to him, to show him the designs she was most unsure about and know that he would give her honesty. He was never cruel, but if he didn't like something or knew it wasn't working he would say so, and his vision for fashion was so in sync with her own that it had become something they could bond over so incredibly quickly. It made sense that he would turn out to be the son of Paris's most famous fashion designer.

As she met his eyes Marinette saw the boy who had saved her in battle so many times. She saw the boy who had sat with her on her worst days and given her a bad joke and a hug and listened to her complaints.

She missed him, plain and simple. And while she was wounded by knowing he didn't care for her the way she cared for him her heart just wouldn't quit on him. If there was something there to salvage, her heart wouldn't let her give up without trying for it.

"I've missed you." she admitted, a whispered vulnerability that she hadn't really meant to allow leave her mouth.

He heard, of course. One ear twitched as she saw it dawning in his eyes, and her heart tripped and began to race. She watched him extend his Sabre, dropping it onto the street below slowly, giving her time to send him running. It may have been her over-romantic imagination, but she thought she saw his eyes brighten when she didn't shake her head.

He vaulted gracefully through the air and alighted on the railing like he always did, lifting his head to look at her. She sat on the edge of her lounge chair, her fingers gripping the edge so hard her knuckles were white. The air between them was tense and taut like a violin string, and Cat felt the ridiculous urge to breathe as quietly as possible.

Eventually Marinette looked away, twisting her fingers in her lap as she bit her lip and tried to find the words she suddenly couldn't remember wanting to say to him. She could hear the quiet shifting as he slid from the railing onto the tile, and suddenly her head was full of memories.

The time he'd visited when he said he'd rowed with his father. The time he dropped by when she was sick to bring her soup from her favourite cafe. The first time she'd found him sitting on the balcony railing holding in the tears because something awful had happened at home and he didn't know how to cope with it.

She had never pried, simply taking him into her arms in a gentle hug. It had been a much rarer gesture back then, something she hadn't expected to ever do. Knowing now that he was Adrien made her glad she had never pried to much into the reasons her partner was so upset. She'd allowed him the space to talk and sometimes he had. Other times he had only wanted someone to listen to him, to tell him what he felt was valid. Someone to tell him everything was alright.

She had always felt so secretly proud that even out of her mask Cat Noir had chosen her as someone to trust with secrets, someone he believed could see him when he was low and still like him just the same. To think that the whole time he had believed her worthy because she was LadyBug…

It didn't make her angry any more. It just made her sad. She closed her eyes as she felt him moving closer. She didn't know if it was their partnership or the friendship they'd been building for months but somehow she could sense him. Somehow she knew if she opened her eyes he'd be right in front of her. And it wasn't just Cat in front of her now.

It was Adrien. It was the boy who had always seemed so unreachable, so charming and sensible and normal. So charming in a way that so many boys she knew just couldn't be. And the whole time she'd known him he had also been cheeky and daring, brash and bold and reckless and… And so wonderful in a totally different way that she could scream at him and hold him tight at the same time. He drove her crazy and made her feel alive and useful in a way Marinette had never been before. She didn't jump when his voice sounded right in front of her because she'd known he was there.

"I've missed you too, Mari." he whispered slowly, quietly, his voice making the walls she'd been trying to build tremble, their foundation suddenly shaky when he was _right there_.

She took a deep breath and tried to remind herself why she'd decided it was a good idea to bring him over. She felt instantly guilty for all of her own drama when she thought of what he'd gone through.

"You didn't tell me what the akuma was doing." she whispered, hearing her voice catch.

Cat- Adrien fell quiet, and although she could feel him tense she didn't feel brave enough to open her eyes just yet.

"I didn't know." she swallowed, her eyes growing warm. Their friendship might have been built on a secret, but right then Marinette knew she was doomed because it didn't make her feelings any less potent. "And after- after you… After losing your mother..."

He flinched. She felt it, heard the squeak of his suit as he jerked.

"I'm sorry. That I didn't… That I didn't acknowledge that. I was so wrapped up in being angry that I didn't think about how awful you must be feeling. I- I should have let you in that night. I should have been there for you. I've been a pretty crappy partner."

His fingers ghosted over her hand and she drew it away on instinct, clutching her fingers tight in the other hand. She didn't have to look to know how he was looking at her for that. She tried to ignore the twinge in her ribcage.

"You didn't know." he answered, and his voice had a tremor in it. "I- It was horrible, Mari. Even thinking of my mother didn't- doesn't feel as raw as that did. I- It was so real. I felt it, like I knew it was true and it- If it was true I… I wouldn't be able to continue on."

Her heart cracked. She felt it and her eyes opened without permission.

"Cat…"

"No, it's not your fault." he refuted, meeting her gaze with that sad-warm smile he had. "You weren't to know, Marinette."

It wasn't until her thumb moved in a circle that she realised she'd taken his hands, and she looked down at them in surprise, knowing that really she shouldn't be surprised at all.

"It must have been horrible."

"It was. But waking up… Knowing it wasn't _real_ … Well, it made a difference. _You_ made a difference."

She flushed, knowing that even though she was mad at him for liking LadyBug more than her - and really who could blame him, because she herself was the same - it made her feel warm inside. And of course, Cat being Cat, he ruined it right away.

"Mari, I'm sorry I didn't tell you who I am."

"Noir…"

"No Mari, please. I'm sorry. I should have told you the second I knew who you were. But I- I hadn't gotten a chance to catch you on your own, and-"

She pushed to her feet. Suddenly she couldn't sit there any more, the hurt of it all rushing up again. She'd thought she was ready to talk to him, to work through the whole mess she was feeling and see if there was any way for them to… To salvage what they had.

 _To start afresh_ , her traitorously hopeful heart added.

She took her hands back, and she couldn't meet his eyes as she did what she did best when she couldn't look at him. She ran away, climbing down through the window to the safety of her room. But he was right behind her, caching for her hand to tug her around as she tried to make a bee-line for the trapdoor. She knew he wouldn't follow her into the rest of the house, but he was too fast. Of course he was. He was Cat freaking Noir. He was a shadow.

"Marinette-"

"Let me go." she interrupted, tugging her arm back and glaring at him. He winced, his ears going flat as he let her go. He looked at her guiltily.

"Mari-"

"No. I want you to go. I- I thought I could do this today but I can't."

"At least let me explain why I-"

"You don't have to explain. I understand it completely. How could I not? I mean, LadyBug is… Everybody knows she's amazing. How could I think that I was worth the same as she is?"

Marinette laughed, crossing her arms over her body as she felt that hysteria rising faintly, the feeling that made her want to yo-yo through the night to scream and curl up to cry and be held and be alone.

"I get it. You wanted to be friends with her and instead of being honest you made friends with me instead. I mean, really it's my own fault for thinking…" she stopped herself and shook her head. "Just go, I'll- We'll talk another time."

"But I want to explain myself." he answered her, voice low and pleading as he stepped closer.

Marinette felt the inexplicable urge to step closer too, suddenly wishing he war holding her close. She felt cold. She knew she was going to cry.

"Just go, okay? No more lies. We both know you don't really want to be here anyway."

He frowned at her, and it ticked her off that he could make his face lie just as easily as he could his voice.

"What? _No-_ "

"Just don't. Please."

"No, Marinette. You have to _listen_ to me!"

She was wrong. It _did_ still make her angry. Marinette stood in front of him and suddenly all of it became too much again and she simply couldn't deal with it. She felt so betrayed, so utterly wronged and it seemed that he didn't even understand why she felt so hurt. For months she had been allowing herself to believe that her partner had layers and levels and depth that she had never seen before, and she hated herself now to think that she had wanted to know him so completely.

That he had fooled her into thinking she could. And the whole time...

"No, I _don't_ , Cat! You _knew_! You knew exactly who I was and you said _nothing_. How long have you been laughing at me behind my back on patrol? All those times you visited, pretending you were so interested and making me think that- that- That you actually _liked_ the real me?"

She was suddenly aware that she was crying fierce tears and he was staring at her like she was crazy. She probably was. Why else would she have stupidly fallen for his act? For the gentle friendship he had been offering her, when all the time he'd only been doing it because she was _LadyBug_? And she was mad at herself for allowing it to mean so _damn_ much to her that he'd chosen her for a friend!

"I'd never laugh at you, Bug. You're not being fair. I didn't-"

" _I'm_ not being fair?" She pressed her fingers to her eyes, her every muscle taut. "Just get out." she hissed, a hiccup cutting her sentence in two. "Get- Get out and don't you dare come back."

"Mari-"

"No." she spat, her blazing eyes locking on him once more. "You've said quite enough. I don't think I can stand to hear one more lie leave your mouth. Get _out,_ you mangy fur-ball."

"But I'm not lying!"

She was shoving him, and if he'd ever thought her strong before he hadn't known true strength. Because when Marinette shoved him, she shoved him _hard_. And it hurt. He could feel it, knowing he'd have light bruising before the night was out.

She shepherded him roughly towards the window, her face fierce and wet with tears and every time he opened his mouth she punctuated her point with another push. In the end he had to climb through the window because he was poking and shoving at him and it was truly painful.

He tried to hold the window open but it was hinged to swing downwards and she had the advantage. He put up a fair fight but in the end she put her weight on it and he had to let go to save his fingers from being slammed against the frame.

"Mari _please_. I don't know why you think I was laughing. I just need to explain!"

"Stay away from me." she replied in a cold voice, and even though she was crying her voice wasn't wobbly. Not like his was.

"I'm sorry, Bug. I'm sorry. I should have told you and I didn't and I'm _sorry_. But it wasn't on purpose! I couldn't find a chance-"

"You had _plenty_ of chances you stupid, idiotic fuzzball! Months of chances! I don't know what I _ever_ saw in you! I trusted you and you- You were only after LadyBug! Just go. Before I string you up with my yo-yo and throw you in the Seine!"

He'd never heard her so upset, and her eyes were burning with hurt and fury and as much as he was hurt to be so brutally rejected by his partner, his _friend_ , he was more hurt to know that she was feeling so awful. He pressed a hand against the glass as Marinette began to tack up the black fabric again, and he began to hate it vehemently. He wished it was on his side of the window so that he could shred it with his claws.

Desperation and despair were a cold and roiling combination in his gut as he watched Marinette disappear from view, like he'd swallowed an ocean full of storms and sea monsters.

 _Months? What months? What-_

He pleaded, knowing he was losing but unable to take it any more. Composure was a distant memory as Cat shouted through his sobs at the blackened window. He knew she was in there. He couldn't see her but she was there. His ears could hear her crying and he knew she was still there.

" _Please_! It wasn't months, Mari! I only just found out! Please! _Listen_ to me!"

All sound halted on the other side of the black cloth and Cat held his breath as his heart raced in his ribcage. It was a dreadfully long moment before the fabric lifted again, one half peeling away as Marinette's pale face reappeared on the other side of the glass.

He stared, too afraid that if he pressed any closer to the glass she'd snap out of it and continue to block him out. She stared up at him, her bluebell eyes wide and startled. She was confused and suspicious and still angry at him and her fingers trembled as they reached for the window, pausing half-way there.

"Wh-What?"

She seemed to have surprised herself by talking, the fingers resting against her lips as she blinked warily up at him. She looked lost and small and doubtful and he wanted to hold her close and tell her everything was going to be okay. The last of her tears perched on the curve of her cheek, prepared to fall. He swallowed. When he eventually found his voice it was breathless. His words were careful and quiet, flittering softly onto the glass between them like tears. Like butterflies.

"I don't know what months you mean, Marinette. I only worked it out last week."


	25. Chapter 25

_**(A/N):** Sorry it's been forever guys! Uni's started back up and I've been on a Teaching Placement the last few weeks. (High school kids can be so brutal.)  
I've been trying to get this scene just right, needing to do the build-up justice. I'm hopeful that I've achieved it, and I'm already working on the next chapter. (Cross your fingers and believe, it might be up tomorrow!)  
As always, you guys are the bomb and your comments are seriously the highlight of my days. (Checking my e-mails for notifications is sadly such an embarrassing obsession.)  
Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Five_

She stared up at him with shocked, wide eyes. He was gasping silently, like he'd run across every rooftop in Paris and taken down an akuma. She blinked, looking almost dazed before she opened her mouth again.

"But I-"

There was a sudden banging on the stairs, the sound of someone pushing open the trapdoor. Marinette turned away from the window and through the gap she'd left in the fabric Cat saw Tom appear in her room.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice gruff and concerned as though he wasn't sure whether to be worried or annoyed.

"Uhm." replied Marinette, just before Tom caught sight of him in the window.

"Is that Cat Noir?" he asked incredulously.

"Uhh, we were, ahh…" she trailed off, turning to glance awkwardly at him.

He knew it was a totally inappropriate time, but Cat Noir couldn't help but find her reddening cheeks and her stammering absolutely adorable.

"Arguing, by the sounds of it." Tom supplied, looking between them with a frown, at a loss.

"Sorry," Cat began. "We, uhh-"

"Were arguing about something Alya said." Marinette interjected. "It got a little heated, sorry Papa."

Tom's frown only deepened. He didn't look or sound convinced.

"Uh-huh."

"Alya thinks that he and uhh, LadyBug are together and I was telling him that we know they aren't. They, uhhm, they've been arguing about something lately and he- He wanted me to tell her something and I said he should tell her himself and it- We uhhm. Yeah."

Tom nodded slowly, looking suspiciously back at Cat Noir before he seemed to accept that Marinette wasn't in any danger or anything. He relaxed, and as soon as he had he suddenly looked very out of place, like he wanted to leave.

"Oh. Well, okay. Try to keep it down though, in case people think something's wrong."

With one last confused look between them he made his way over to the trapdoor again, shaking his head as he went back downstairs. They watched him go, staring at the closed door for a long moment before either of them spoke.

"Sorry." said Marinette. "He uhm, he's protective. But he- Well, he doesn't like coming into my room, y'know? Wants to make sure he gives me my space. I think he's scared I'll turn into a moody teenager if he doesn't leave me alone enough."

She knew she was babbling. She hadn't looked at him yet, but he nodded anyway.

"Somehow I can't really see you being like that, but I guess having your own space is good." he tried.

Something in his voice made her cringe a little, and she was reminded that all Adrien got from his father was time alone.

"I'm sorry." she said again, and he knew this time it wasn't about her dad.

She looked at him awkwardly, reaching up to unpin the fabric and push the window open. She looked down at her feet as she stepped back, and he gave her a moment to change her mind before dropping carefully into her room.

She hadn't backed away, so when the straightened he found her to be surprisingly close, looking up across the distance with those bluebell eyes so full of trepidation. It took every ounce of self-restraint he had not to reach out automatically. Instead he looked at her and she looked back at him, her mouth opening to say words that never quite made it to her lips. He could smell that floral-spice-sugar smell of her, the homey scent he'd missed desperately for all it had only been a few days since he had had a moment to notice it. Marinette closed her mouth after a moment, looking down at her hands as he watched the redness unfurl across her cheeks, her neck. Even the tops of her shoulders were going red.

"I've been horrible to you." she whispered, and Cat wished he could guess how she would react if he were to touch her.

"Mari… It's okay."

"But it's not okay, Cat. I-" Her eyes raised to meet his and she seemed to lose her confidence, her voice shrinking as she gave him that dreadfully mournful look. "I- I feel all over the place." she finally admitted, her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth finding her lip.

Cat Noir swallowed hard, lest he do something silly because he was suddenly shockingly aware of how close she was standing. She hadn't stepped back and neither had he, so there was barely half a foot between them, their toes nearly touching. As had become usual with Marinette, every inch of his skin was suddenly hyper-sensitive, aware of her presence.

"It's okay." he said, and he meant it.

He hadn't told her the very moment he'd worked it out and although he had many excuses as to why, he still knew he should have told her. Or at least let her know he knew. Getting so caught up in how wonderful it was that _his friend_ , the fiery, stuttering Marinette, was his partner in saving Paris had pushed aside all thought as to how she might feel when he told her. He understood it, it's exactly how he would feel if he found out that the partner who had been visiting him for months turned around and revealed she knew who he was.

He was a little nervous himself now. Those nights ensconced in her room with her, whispering about new designs or watching movies or just talking on the balcony, _those nights_ when he had been so beside himself with worry or misery that he had had no-one to turn to but her, those nights had become occasions when he had bared himself to her. He had been brave enough to do so because she was a wonderful person, but also because he was able to hide behind his mask and know she didn't know the real him. What if now she didn't want to know him?

"A-Adrien…"

It shouldn't have been so jarring to hear her say his name. He knew she knew. It shouldn't have surprised him. And yet it did.

"I should have told you." he said again, worried to see the tears falling down her cheeks.

She still hadn't looked up at him again, her hands clenched at her sides as she spoke so quietly he almost didn't hear.

"I- I thought that we were… That there was- For all those months I didn't know that you were- that you knew- I thought you- I thought you'd known the whole time."

Her voice wobbled that time, and an aching sprung up in his chest so suddenly it almost took his balance from him. He hesitated, reaching out to gently brush her fringe from her forehead. She turned her face away a little at the contact but she didn't move away.

"I didn't, Mari, I swear. I wouldn't lie to you."

Marinette sniffled, and then she did the strangest thing. A smile flickered palely across her lips and she released a half-hearted, wet chuckle. It took him so much by surprise that he forgot he was supposed to be quiet.

"Marinette?"

His answer was another sniffled giggle as she wiped a hand across her eyes. She shook her head, stifling another giggle with her other hand. Cat didn't know whether to feel worried or relieved and they battled it out as he reached for her shoulder.

"Mari? What's- what is it? I don't-"

She looked up then, a sparkle dancing in her tearful blue eyes.

"Bugaboo." she answered, another instead chuckle slipping past her hand. "You-" Giggle. "You told-" Giggle. "me that you wouldn't-" Giggled snort. " lie to your _Bugaboo_." she finished, before dissolving into a whispered sort of laughter.

" _You_!" she said, her eyes dancing with a mirth he didn't understand. "Adrien- ohmygod _you_ \- all this time you've had this _awful_ -" More Giggles. "sense of hu-" Giggle. "humour!"

His ears folded as he feigned grave insult. It only made her laugh more, Her tears beginning to disappear as she stifled as much of the sound as she could.

"I'm sorry." she managed around the chuckles. "I can't- seem to stop. Every time you-"

She was fast becoming scarlet again, a deep red that would be almost worrying if it wasn't so fascinating. Her eyes were startling in contrast, vivid and beautiful as he had always found them.

"I don't quite- Mari, are you-"

A piercing scream cut through the air outside and Cat Noir was ashamed that his very first half-second thought was _Why now_. He glanced at his ring, wishing he had retransformed when he'd arrived and now what if Plagg couldn't take the strain of a fight when he's been geared up for so long already-

"Will you be okay to…" Marinette asked him, her face suddenly clear of all humour and her eyes hardening into that pre-battle determination.

With a sharp nod, trying not to think about how much Plagg was going to to chew him out about using the suit for _stupid, human reasons_ , he reached out to offer her hand. She looked down at it before looking back up at him, her eyes flickering.

"Spots on, Tikki." she told the little red kwami who appeared like magic by her shoulder.

As the pink life unfolded around her and he had to shield his eyes, Cat felt her hand take his.

"Come on, _Chaton_. We have a city to save."

And she had thrown her yo-yo string out of the window at a perfect angle, catching on the chimney pot of the roof behind her balcony. They swung out and she released his hand as they hit the curve of her momentum, sending him vaulting across to the next rooftop. They raced into battle together, following the screams and each hoping that HawkMoth hadn't chosen another stricken parent.


	26. Chapter 26

_Chapter Twenty Six_

The relief of discovering it was in fact _not_ a grieving parent was short-lived, for instead HawkMoth had chosen a wronged bride. Monopolising the square was a beautiful woman, her raven hair dark and sinister against the spotless ivory of the wedding dress she was still wearing. They surmised from her furious screams and wailing that she had been left at the altar with their little boy. The groom to be, it seemed, had run off with another woman.

It was things like that which truly shook LadyBug's determination, sometimes. Battling angst-ridden teenagers who had suffered some small slight was one thing, but fighting the truly wronged and the grieving was another.

"Poor thing." she called to her partner as they descended into the fray.

"Talk about Bridezilla!" Cat called back, but when she turned to shoot him a disapproving frown he wasn't laughing.

Instead he looked the picture of seriousness, of focus, and for all it made their job easier it somehow made her sad.

The akuma was vicious, just like all of the more recent ones, and she wasn't pulling any punches. People everywhere were screaming as they ran from reams of snapping, snarling ribbon and man-eating white roses. Those who were unlucky enough to be caught were becoming the monstrous flowers themselves, chasing after loved ones. HawkMoth was truly targeting the softer emotions lately, and it worried LadyBug.

 _What kind of cruelty did someone have to feel to make people target the ones they loved most?_

Cat Noir and LadyBug worked seamlessly, something that they couldn't help but notice. Despite the turmoil of all they were going through it seemed they truly could continue to work as partners knowing what they knew.

"They're _back_!" Alya called out gleefully from her perch atop Nino's shoulders. "I _knew_ it!"

Her phone was filming, her footage not as great as it would be if she were closer. But the horrid white roses were just far too quick for them to be any closer than they were, and besides, Marinette had looked a lot more worried than normal when she'd seen Alya's last entry. Not that that would stop Alya, of course, just…

"Dude! I was the one who told you they would be." Nino shouted up to her, over the chaos of shouting and the sounds of the battle. " _You_ said a lover's tiff would send them off their game!"

Alya chose to say nothing in return, watching and whooping loudly as they cheered on the superheroes. It wasn't taking long, LadyBug and Cat Noir back on their A-Game as they ducked and wove, in sync once more.

LadyBug was deploying her Lucky Charm when Alya noticed something was off about Cat Noir. He was slowing, holding one side of his head as he stumbled a little in his next leap. Alya didn't even have time to think about screaming out to alert his partner because it seemed LadyBug had noticed too.

Perhaps it was just Alya's obsessive shipper's heart, but it seemed LadyBug was much more gentle than usual as she grabbed hold of him and urged him back, shielding him from the recovering akuma and throwing out her yo-yo. LadyBug _never_ did that mid-fight, and Alya watched, gobsmacked, as LadyBug abandoned their battle in the penultimate moment to swing Cat Noir to safety.

Alya had zoomed in as much as she could but she just couldn't quite catch the movement of their lips as the duo exchanged words, and maybe it was her unstable hand due to being on Nino's shoulders but she was _almost_ sure LadyBug kissed Cat Noir's cheek before he leapt away across Paris.

Alya was torn. On one hand, LadyBug was returning to the battle solo. On the other, she had sent Cat Noir away and so she must have had a reason. Alya debated for precious seconds before she slid from Nino's shoulders fast enough to make him topple over.

"Come on!" she shouted, grabbing his hand to drag him back to his feet. "We have to investigate where she sent him!"

Nino didn't argue. Or he might have, but she didn't hear. Alya tugged him through the streets as she guessed his path, turning corners and swapping streets as she caught sight of him. He was definitely slowing, his bounds smaller and his landing shaky. He was heading in a definite direction and Alya wondered at it as she followed, Nino out of breath trying to keep up.

She turned the final corner just in time to see Cat's baton throw him up onto the rooftop of a building she knew. She halted so suddenly that Nino ran into her and sent them both tumbling, but she managed to twist around from the pavement to confirm the suspicion growing in her mind.

Cat Noir had landed on Marinette's balcony, and from what she could tell he hadn't jumped from there to any other rooftop.

"He's- He- _Nino did you see that?_ "

"Alya you need to start watching where-"

"Did you _see_ him?" she interrupted, swinging around to look at him with wide brown eyes. "He went into _Marinette's_!" she hissed.

Nino, of course, was as stumped as she was about why on earth LadyBug would send Cat Noir to see Marinette. She wasn't much of a doctor, if it was because he was injured in some way. They puzzled over it together as they got back to their feet, standing close together on the street in brain-whirring silence.

Before they were almost bowled over by someone else running hard towards the building they were staring at.

"Oh! Sorry! I-"

"Nett?"

The girl stumbled to a halt, turning to look at them with an almost comically shocked expression. She paled considerably as she looked between them, her mouth gold-fishing for several long moments.

"Wh-Wh- I- Huh- When- Uhm."

"What's the rush, Girl?" Alya asked, only a little suspiciously, her eyes narrowing as she looked Marinette over.

Their friend was out of breath and red in the cheeks like she'd run halfway across Paris, yet the rest of her was almost sickly pale.

"Oh! I- See, my- parents- wedding- cupcakes! I- see you! Can't stay!"

And with that she turned and raced into the bakery, leaving her friends standing there to stare after her incredulously.

Nino spoke up after a very, very long silence.

"You don't suppose.."

"She knows." Alya replied firmly, staring up at the familiar balcony in disbelief.

Nino looked at her, thinking the same thing.

Alya gave a pale chuckle as she wondered what on earth she was to do with that piece of information. Belatedly, she turned off the camera on her phone, debating a second before saving the recording for later.

"She must know who they are."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty Seven

When Marinette burst into her room and across the carpeted floor, leaving the door to fall closed with a sharp bang, Cat Noir had already locked himself away in her bathroom. She stood in front of the door for a moment, staring at the pale pink and gathering herself together. He was fine. Of course he was fine. Just tired out, his kwami stretched too thin after being in the suit for the evening and _then_ having to fight.

It had only happened once before, when he'd come to see her after a particularly long akuma attack, and he had detransformed in her bathroom to feed the little kwami before coming back out in his suit and sheepishly explaining himself. It had made her giggle at the time because he was trying so hard to find a way to explain his behaviour, not knowing she herself knew how kwamis operated.

Of course, Tikki didn't ask for cheese, she preferred cookies and sweet treats from the bakery.

"You okay?" she called softly, taping her knuckles against the door.

"Mari!" came the relieved reply. "I was worried your dad had come up to see what the noise was!"

He opened the door and greeted her with a broad grin, the fact that he was -obviously- in his civilian form throwing her a little. She could feel her face beginning to heat. _Adrien Agreste_ was in her bathroom. It was something she might never get used to. She swallowed, forcing a smile on her face in return.

 _It's Cat Noir._ she reminded herself. _It's your partner, your friend Cat. You know how to be around him, don't you?_

"Noise?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

He blushed, stepping aside to gesture sheepishly at the collection of hairbrushes and paintbrushes and towels and hair clips scattered across the floor.

"I, uhh, bumped into the dresser when I got up off the floor." he admitted, looking down at his feet as an embarrassed smile took over his face.

It was incredibly distracting for Marinette. She took a stuttering breath as she tried to collect her thoughts, watching him twist the toes of one trainer against the floor as he spoke. She wasn't paying attention, too busy trying to absorb the way the red ran over his cheeks, the way one hand was rubbing the nape of his neck so awkwardly.

"Oh." she replied, rather stupidly, before realising she should probably help pick up all of those fallen things.

The air was awkward and tense around them as they replaced everything on the dresser, and Marinette swallowed thickly every time his hand brushed against her arm. Could she do this? Truly, could she? Because it was hard to breathe right now and she wasn't even _looking_ at him. This was what it was like with Cat for so long, it was like going back in time and starting over. She'd fallen for him twice already, did she have to go through the painful awkwardness a third time?

"You know, it would be nice to be offered cheese." came a voice, just as Marinette was starting to believe she'd never be able to look at him again.

" _Plagg_!" Adrien scolded, shooting her an apologetic look when she turned to look for the voice. "Don't be rude!"

"Me? _She's_ the one sending you here in the middle of a battle and then neglecting to offer us food."

The griping voice was coming from none other than the black kwami who had appeared on Adrien's shoulder, and Marinette stared at him in surprised delight for several seconds before she found her voice again.

"I'm sorry, Mari, he's-"

"Plagg, right?" Marinette cut in, giving the kwami a shy smile.

The little black cat turned narrowed green eyes on her, before sniffing in disdain and turning away again.

"Right. Smart for an idiot, isn't she?"

"Plagg!" Adrien hissed, swatting at the kwami as he dodged his chosen's hand.

"What?" Plagg grumped back, folding his arms and glaring between them. "I'm hungry, and she hasn't offered us _anything_ yet!"

Marinette could feel the burn in her cheeks as she busied herself brushing imaginary lint from her jeans.

"I'll, uhm-"

She turned to go as Adrien reached for her wrist with gentle fingers.

"You don't have to-" he argued, looking doubtfully at the black cat kwami.

Plagg grumbled at him, but didn't say anything because Marinette had shaken her head already.

"Nonsense, of c-course I do! I'll just- just be a minute!"

And with that she was off, running from the room and to the trapdoor as though she were escaping something awful, and Adrien turned to Plagg.

"What all that about?" he hissed, crossing his own arms as the kwami floated away to hover in the air.

"All what?"

"You know exactly what! Why are you being so rude to Marinette?"

Plagg rolled his eyes, but his expression was sterner than Adrien had seen in a while.

"After what she did to you? She's lucky I don't do something more than just ask for cheese."

"What are you talking about?"

Plagg sighed, floating around a little to nose around Marinette's things, idly flicking at the bristles of a paintbrush propped up in an otherwise empty plastic cup.

"Look, kid. I don't care about your lovey-dovey crush on her, and I don't care about the nights in the suit. But you've been miserably lately, and _she's_ been the cause."

"Plagg-" Adrien began to argue, but the unwavering green eyes turned his way.

"Plagg nothing." the kwami told him. "This is a bad idea."

"Plagg…"

"Kid, I don't do the touchy-feelly talks, okay? But think about it. Think about how angry she's been since she found out who you are. You think that's because she's _happy_ it's you?"

Adrien opened his mouth to argue and found nothing came to mind. He closed it again with a soft snap, an uncertain frown taking over his face. Doubt was beginning to coil ini his stomach again, the way it had been doing during their days apart. The kwami gave him a serious look and a nod, as though pleased his charge was thinking over his words.

"But…"

Adrien shook his head, the hesitancy falling away as he did so.

"No." he said, turning away from Plagg and stepping back into Marinette's room. He looked around as he spoke, as though seeing her things made him more sure of his words. "Marinette isn't like that. She- she must have a reason. She wouldn't be as nice to me as she is if she- if-"

But the doubt was there now, insecurity uncovered by his kwami's bad mood. What if she _didn't_ like him being her partner? It was one thing for Alya to proclaim Marinette had a crush on him, _both_ sides of him, but what if Plagg was right and she didn't want him to be the boy under that black mask? He hadn't even asked her how she felt about finding out her partner, the one who had her back and teased her and told her secrets was just… _him_.

He'd cried about his father to her. She'd seen him have temper tantrums and seen him break down.

What if she didn't want to deal with the mess that came with him?

He looked back at Plagg, feeling his confidence waning and hoping that somehow the kwami would make it better. That he would say maybe he was wrong. That she wasn't upset to find out… That _he_ was the one behind the puns and the smile and the confident freedom of Cat Noir. That when she took away the ears and the Sabre and the suit he was just… Just a crybaby who thought the world was unfair to him.

Plagg's gaze softened and he flew over to land on Adrien's shoulder.

"Kid, just… Just be careful, okay."

Adrien tried for a smile.

"You worried about me, Plagg? I didn't think you cared." he tried to tease.

Plagg huffed predictably, rolling his eyes and grumbling as he dropped backwards from his perch in a steep dive before floating back up to give Adrien the stink eye. But while he hovered Adrien could feel one small paw ruffle his hair, maybe. Just before he opened his mouth to maybe tease his kwami again the trapdoor opened and Marinette came through, balancing two plates as she did so. Adrien rushed forward to help her as she wobbled, and she turned a beautiful shade of pink when he took one of the them from her.

"Thanks." she said, giving him a shy smile that made his heart skip. "I brought some different ones, because we only had a little piece of camembert left after the cheese breads today. Uhm, sorry, Plagg."

The kwami nodded and didn't say anything, but Adrien was sure that her offering of cheese would chip away at the hard exterior of Plagg's secret soft heart. He'd lifted the piece of camembert when Marinette turned to survey her room.

"I brought cookies, too!" she told the air, and Adrien only had a moment to wonder what she was doing before a small pink shape whizzed out from one of the drawers by the bed.

Marinette's smile of greeting was wide and lovely, like the one she gave Alya and Nino and Cat when she was pleased to see them. But not Adrien. It really was him she had a problem with. The second kwami, for that's what she was, Adrien knew, flew up to land on Marinette's shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. Marinette turned pleased eyes on Adrien and Plagg.

"This is-"

"Tikki." Plagg answered, looking _and_ sounding like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have.

In answer, Tikki gave him a stern look.

"Hello, Plagg."

"I thought you'd be pleased to see me." Plagg attempted for cool, but underneath the aloof expression and the pinned back ears they could all see he wasn't. "After all, it's been so long."

"I will be," Tikki said in a tight voice, "once I've scolded you for meddling again."

Marinette and Adrien looked between the two little gods in confusion, but Plagg looked uneasy enough that he dropped the cheese he had been eating back onto the plate.

"I didn't say anything that wasn't-"

"You were deliberately being unfair when you thought I couldn't hear. Just because you had the chance to."

"Ohh, come _on_ ," Plagg grumbled, crossing his arms. "You and your _fair_. She-"

"I want to speak to you. Outside." Tikki said firmly, and the teenagers watched in astonishment as Plagg lowered his head and scuffed one paw against the air.

"Fine." he grumbled.

Marinette couldn't believe Tikki was so serious, and Adrien? Adrien could barely hold in his laughter at seeing his snarky, maverick black cat allowing himself to be bossed around by his counterpart. The two sat in silence as they watched the two kwami fly up and through the skylight, once Tikki had pressed a kiss to Marinette's cheek. When Adrien look back at Marinette her expression was so similar to how he felt that he couldn't hold in a giggle. Marinette looked at him in surprise as he chuckled into his hand.

"What's so funny?" she asked him curiously, but even after he explained she didn't laugh with him.

"What's she so upset about?" she asked him next, watching the awareness flicker into his eyes. "What did he say?"

Suddenly it wasn't very funny any more. Adrien coughed, looking away as he rubbed at his hair.

"Uhm, I- ahh, well…"

"Cat?" Marinette asked, tone pleading, before she seemed to realise what she'd said.

One hand came up to cover her mouth as she cringed.

"N-no, Adrien! Sorry! I just- I- When! Oh, this is stupid!" she wailed, seeming to grow angry with herself.

Adrien was about to open his mouth to ask her what on earth she was talking about when she took a deep breath and me his eye boldly.

"It's so much easier when you're… Well, when you're Cat." she told him, her voice losing its bravery as suddenly as it had gained it. "I- uhm. I don't know how to- well. To be me around- around _you_."

Adrien's heart fell. He looked away, part of him wishing he'd not come over and the other part feeling guilty for wishing it.

"I- urgh, we uhhm, A-Adrien, we- we should talk."

He swallowed, keeping his face turned away as he closed his eyes and swallowed, hard. _Here it comes_ , his traitorous brain whispered to him. _Here's the part where she tells you she doesn't want to be partners._

 _"_ Yeah." he whispered back. "We should."

"I- Well, I, uhm. I thought you didn't want to be my friend." Marinette rushed, her words bumping into each other as she tried to get it out. "I- You- The visits…"

When he glanced over at her she was gripping the second plate tightly like she'd forgotten she was even holding it, her face a deep pink and her blue eyes worried.

"I- We were- Oh! Why does this have to be so difficult?"

He wished she would just spit it out. He was tired of feeling sick and the anticipation of her rejection was fraying his nerves.

"I get it, Mari." he answered her slowly, subdued and defeated. "I… I understand. I just- I wish we could just be us again, the us we are when I'm… When I'm not _Adrien_."

Marinette was looking at him in surprise, and she was so pretty right then that he just wished there was a way to…

"That's what I want." she answered him, an uncertain smile creeping over her lips as he felt sorrow seed itself in his gut. "I want us to go back to the way we were."

She looked down at the plate in her hands as if just remembering it, placing it carefully on her desktop as she began to blush anew. She was avoiding his eyes and it made her much harder to read.

"I mean, I know of course that we've been super busy with all the akumas just now, but, well…"

She was twisting her hands together, her words growing quieter and quieter as she grew redder and redder. Adrien sighed.

"I want us to be friends, Marinette." he said softly, wishing there was a way and wanting to step closer to prove it to her, yet scared to incase she didn't want him so close.

It was so much easier as Cat. He knew his role there, he was able to steal into her personal space and annoy her and get her all worked up. That was okay. But as Adrien… He didn't know who he was supposed to be around Marinette, and it was exhausting trying to make sure he didn't accidentally do something to scare her away.

He want her friendship more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life.

She looked up at him, confusion blurring the blue of her irises.

"We are." she said, seemingly before she'd thought about it because her eyes widened in surprise and she squirmed uncomfortably. She didn't want to be friends. At that moment Adrien just wanted to leave.

"I mean… I mean the way we are _now_." he managed to say, his heart in his throat as he did so.

Marinette only looked further confused.

"But we _are_ friends. I-"

She ducked her head, speaking so quietly it was difficult to hear, even with his slightly heightened hearing. If he'd been in his suit it might have been easier.

"At least, I thought we were."

Adrien swallowed, his throat drying as his eyes grew heated, as though the moisture were moving home.

"Me too."

Marinette nodded, her shoulders hunching as she drew in a deep breath. Before Adrien could query her odd reaction she'd blurted another pile of words, jumbled and tangled together.

"Is it me or just LadyBug that's your friend?"

Adrien almost swallowed his tongue in surprise.

"What?"

Uncertain but determined bluebell eyes met his own once more.

"All- All the times you- you've been here, tha-at we- Were you here for me or just for LadyBug?"

Suddenly, something was clicking and whirring in Adrien's brain, a dangerously optimistic hope growing. _Was it possible that he had misunderstood her words?_

" _You_ , of course!"

"It- It's okay if it wasn't…"

She bit her lip as a tremor ran through it.

"It _was_!" he argued, hope making him feel lighter as he grew more certain he _had_ misunderstood her. "I didn't even know you were LadyBug until you gave it away in English last week!"

Marinette looked surprised, before she gave him a slightly insulted look.

"Excuse me?"

Adrien was grinning all at once, something in her eyes making him _sure_ he was right.

"You told me off for the puns, and then you told my joke and-"

"Oh!" Marinette squeaked, growing white as she stared at him wide-eyed. "Oh! I- _Oh!_ You! I forgot I'd-"

And then she was scarlet again, so fast that Adrien wondered it didn't make her dizzy to keep changing colour so often. His grin grew in confidence, some secure feeling leaking into him and making him feel brave.

"And you've always been so strict about not telling me your identity…" he teased, watching gleefully as her face tried to decide whether to scowl or laugh.

"I can't believe _you're_ Cat Noir." she eventually told him, looking equal parts stern and amused, and it was lovely to see her like that again. Even if it was potentially because she wasn't too excited about his own identity.

"Not what you expected?" he asked warily.

"No," she answered almost immediately, before her expression softened again. "and yet… I can't understand how I didn't see it before."

Adrien smiled at her.

"I know _that_ feeling." he replied, and when Marinette looked down, her lips tugging into a gentle sort of smile, he knew they were going to be okay.

For a long, long moment she didn't say anything and Adrien simply sat and looked at her, watching the absent way in which one hand toyed with a pencil on the desk she stood beside.

"So you really _were_ interested in being friends with me as Marinette." she finally answered softly, looking up at him with eyes like night skies, like oceans.

"Yes." he answered, matching her softness with one firm word.

"All the time? You really didn't know before?"

" _All_ the time." he confirmed, watching her closely as his every word registered, as her brain worked and she bit at her lip and looked shyly away.

"I promise." he added, because she seemed to need to hear that.

She looked up again and the tenderness in her eyes made him fall even further in love with her. It seemed it would never stop, this falling thing.

"It was you." he admitted, catching himself way too late.

She looked up, confusion in her eyes and he winced uneasily, and if he'd been suited up he'd have felt his ears flattening against his head as he shifted his weight. He opened his mouth but the words wouldn't come, and in his suit his tail would be winding around one leg as he felt suddenly helpless. He had barely convinced her that he truly wanted her friendship. She had such little self-esteem that he was afraid telling her he cared for her so much that she was the loved one he's "lost" would turn her away from him again.

And he wanted desperately to have her friendship back, to have _her_ back.

He closed his mouth and swallowed, watching her blue eyes flicker between his own as she searched for an answer. There was a small furrow between her eyebrows, an expression he had seen often and loved. For a long moment she gave him that concentrated, confused look and he stared back, afraid to say anything until he was sure it wouldn't scare her off.

It turned out that he didn't need to tell her. Somehow she saw it in his face, somehow she read it from him. Somehow she _knew_. It was terrifying and wonderful in equal measure to have someone know him like that, to watch her face pale as her eyes widened, one hand coming up in a dreamlike manner to touch her fingers to her lips. She looked so worried, so sorrowful, so close to tears and for _his_ sake, that he had to look away.

"Oh, _Chaton_ …"

Her fingers brushed his arm as though asking for permission to truly reach out. He threw her a meek glance that stuck as he watched her skim her hand over his sleeve.

"Sorry, Mari." he whispered, closing his eyes tight as he waited for her to freak out, to push him away.

"Adrien…"

Her hands were pulling him closer, winding around him in that way that made him feel safe. That made it seem like all the bad things he was fighting were conquerable. She had always made him feel better, a reason he had visited as often as he could. She was amazing and caring and sincere and he loved that about her.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered back, her words breathy against his neck as he returned her hug. "I was so mad at you, at thinking I'd- That you were only- Oh, Chaton I'm sorry!"

"It's okay. You didn't know."

"But I should have!" she whispered back fiercely, and for a moment he wondered if he'd earned her ire again by mistake. "I should have known that you wouldn't do something so- so _awful_ and I can't believe I've been so horrible to you!"

No, he was safe. She was mad at herself. Somehow the realisation wasn't very comforting, and he drew back to look at her face. She was crying again, silent tears streaking her cheeks.

"Mari, it's okay. It's over now, right?"

She bit her lip and looked down, her cheeks turning pink. "I'm sorry. I've been so awful to you. I should have listened to what you were saying instead of… Instead of just believing that you weren't… Well. That you weren't you."

She looked back up and gave him a wretched look, blue eyes seeking his forgiveness.

"I should have had more faith in my partner." she added softly, making his heart sing.

"Mari, I'm sorry too. I should have told you as soon as I found out but I was so happy about it and there was so much going on and I forgot that _you_ wouldn't know that-"

"You've always been such a martyr, Noir." she said, her voice and eyes finally betraying a fragile amusement. "You won't even let me take the blame for being such a monster."

"You're not." he promised her. "Trust me Marinette, a cat doesn't just hand his heart over to anybody. You're definitely not as awful as you think you are."

She'd turned scarlet, and it took him a moment to realise why she was avoiding his gaze. When he did he could feel his own cheeks heating up as dread returned to his abdomen.

"I mean- I- That was, uhm…"

She squirmed a little, blushing so fiercely that it made his mouth go dry. It was unclear whether his fear would outweigh the adoration building at the sight of her.

"I'm sorry, Mari. I didn't- I-"

"Can- Can we start again?" she whispered in a strangled sort of voice.

"Mari?"

"Can- I mean I- It's- Hi. I'm your partner, LadyBug. In the d-daytime I'm Marinette and uhm, we're f-friends as ourselves and as our alter egos." she squeaked.

For a moment he didn't understand what she was doing and then it clicked and his grin returned in force.

"Hi, Milady. It's me, your knight in shining leather. Turns out you're just as miraculous in your civilian life."

"I- Knowing it's y-you and hearing it are-are two different things." she whispered back, before turning to look at him again, so red it was a wonder he couldn't feel the heat from where he stood.

"I'm glad you're my LadyBug." he said, before he'd thought about it.

Marinette seemed to unwind then, like she'd been tied in a huge knot and then suddenly released as she looked up at him.

"I'm glad you're my Chaton." she said, and when he flashed her a triumphant smirk she rolled her eyes and pretended she wasn't smiling back at him.


	28. Chapter 28

_**(A/N):** People responded so well to Tikki and Plagg that I just **had** to write more!  
You guys rock and your comments make my day!  
Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Eight_

 _~ Meanwhile, on the balcony… ~_

"Hello to you too." Plagg muttered, trying to look as though he wasn't feeling chastised.

It didn't work, and when Tikki made an annoyed, squeaky noise in return he winced.

"You're just upset because-"

"Upset?" Tikki interrupted him, whizzing closer so that she was right in front of him. She was inked red with her anger and Plagg, even though he'd never been truly afraid of her, knew it was a bad sign. Or at least that it could lead somewhere bad if he didn't swallow his pride and apologise. Sort of.

"I'm not _upset_ , Plagg, I'm _angry_. You're deliberately causing problems between them and I know that destruction is _your thing_ but we need to be careful here!"

"Of course it's _my thing_." Plagg snapped back, unable to allow himself to let her see how his words had cut him. "It's my whole purpose. _You're_ the one wanting to make this big thing happen between them and-"

"It's got nothing to do with what _I_ want, and you know it." Tikki squealed, her eyes startlingly blue against the deepening shades of her face. "We can't force anything to happen between them but _you_ are purposefully trying to-"

"She pushed him away!"

His tone was close to matching her own, as he forgot his own rules about not getting too attached. Somewhere down the line the kid had gotten to him and he defended him before he'd thought about it.

" _You_ haven't seen the effects of your precious Chosen's indecisiveness, Tikki. _I'm_ the one mopping up his stupid tears and telling him she doesn't know what she's talking about!"

Tikki paused, looking at him wide-eyed with her mouth open as though to respond, but she didn't say anything. He glared at her, seeming to realise how worked up he'd gotten and smoothing out his fur. He shook himself, pretending to be busy with his whiskers as he felt the awkwardness creep in to replace their conjoined anger. After a moment, Tikki deflated with a soft sigh, and seeing her look dejected was actually worse than seeing her angry.

"You haven't seen what she's been like either." she admitted, looking up towards the sky as she unconsciously copied Marinette, biting her lip. "She… Oh Plagg she fell in love with them _both_ and she felt so awful about it. Finding out that he was one and the same… Well she was upset."

She turned back to look at him, and her anger was gone.

"Can't you understand that much? Marinette was so angry at herself, convinced that she was a terrible person because she loved them both and then he turned out to be the same person and she, well. Marinette is very… vulnerable. She's brave and just and clever but inside she's afraid she isn't good enough. Somehow she got it into her head that he had only wanted to know her because he knew she was LadyBug and he's always so _flirty_ with LadyBug…"

Plagg looked away when she looked at him, shifting uncomfortably.

"She just wants to be good enough for someone as Marinette, not just as a superhero. I understand her. Can't you?"

The air was quiet between them, filled with the sound of Paris streets and echoes of an argument breaking out between their Chosen in the building below.

"It's not like you've never made a mistake." Plagg eventually argued quietly, crossing his arms as he shot her a wounded look. "What about in London, when-"

"Victoria was a whole other story." Tikki refuted firmly, crossing her arms tightly across her small body. "Your awful Cat Noir hurt her when he betrayed their union. A broken heart changes a person, something you, between both of us, should know best."

"Because your LadyBugs keep turning them down?" he offered in an offended tone.

"It's not up to me if they don't fall for your terrible choice in pick-up lines-"

"You think I choose terrible Cat Noirs? Well, what about when-"

"I didn't say that!" Tikki argued, beginning to tremble where she hovered, her ire returning. "It's not _my_ fault if the ones I choose don't fall for the ones who love them! What about when the LadyBug loves her Cat Noir and _he_ doesn't return the sentiment? Does that make it _your_ fault for choosing-"

"That's besides the point, picking on my previous Chosens isn't going to-"

"I'm not _picking_ on anything!" Tikki hissed at him, her eyes narrow slivers of sapphire glass on her face. "I am _stating_ that you of all people should understand how broken hearts can influence-"

"The ones I choose are different!" Plagg snapped, his voice a low almost-growl. "I don't _purposefully_ go looking for-"

"And you think I do? That of all the qualities I look for in a potential LadyBug, love-sick is the one I prioritise?"

" _Well_ …"

"You are the most _irritating_ partner any kwami has ever been given!" Tikki wailed, and Plagg was aghast to realise that there were tears pooling in her eyes.

"Tikki-"

"You- You honestly believe I would choose someone just because I think they'd fall in love with your _ridiculous_ Cat Noirs? That I don't look for b-bravery, or intelligence or kindness, or _fairness_? That I-"

"I didn't say that!" Plagg suddenly shouted, bristling as he reached for her. "I _didn't_!"

Tikki pulled away from him, but she sniffled, pulling herself back together as suddenly as she had begun to fall apart. She turned her gaze on him as she quietened down, wary and upset _and_ , Plagg suddenly realised, _tired_.

"Are you okay?" he asked uncomfortably, for it had been so long since he'd seen her it felt almost like meeting someone new.

And yet at the same time it felt as it always did, like coming home to his other self. The better self, really, if he was honest. He cocked his head as one ear tipped forwards to listen to her better. As he had known it would, as it had done for centuries, the action made a faint smile pass over Tikki's mouth.

"Yes." she said, looking at him with a reluctant new smile. "I am now."

Plagg rolled his eyes, pulling a face now that he had seen she _was_ in fact okay and he could shove that pesky concern far away. Just like that, they were them again.

"Always so emotional." he muttered, earning himself the sound of Tikki's surprised giggle and refusing to admit it made him feel happier.

"You sound like you care, Plagg." she teased him, fluttering over to poke him from the side.

"Hhmmf." he answered, dropping backwards into a shallow dive with a flick of his ears.

"Don't get used to it." they chorused together, Plagg's next eye-roll only making Tikki smile more.

"I knew you were going to say that." she sighed happily, floating down to perch upon the little glass table next to Marinette's lounge chair.

Plagg floated down to join her, rubbing at his ears and perfecting the aloof expression on his face. But Tikki knew he was pleased just the same, just as she had always known. For if there was anything in the world she knew besides herself it was her partner, the black cat of bad luck and destruction.

"You weren't being fair to Marinette." she murmured some time later, when the stars had come out and Plagg had once more given up pretending he didn't like sitting close to her.

It was like a dance they did, each new generation, each new era. Years had passed since she had seen him last, too many years and too much loneliness in-between. He played aloof, this cat of hers but really he wasn't the stone heart he liked to pretend. The act he put on for his Chosen was just that; an act.

He lifted his head rom where it lay across her lap.

"Not this again." he yawned, one ear flicking as he settled back down.

"Plagg…" she sighed, her hand pausing in its trail across his fur.

He heeded the warning, rolling a little to look up at her from the corner of one eye. She took this as a sign he was listening.

"She's very… insecure." she told him, looking over towards the open window, from where the shouting had long since stopped emanating.

Marinette and Adrien were inside, performing a dance of their own design, just as every pair had for centuries. Or, at least, the ones who had become aware of their partner's identities. Herself and Plagg always gave the rules, for they had learned in the past how disastrous it could be if the evil of the world knew their true names. And, once or twice, they had seen what damage the other could do if they knew.

For all she and Plagg were gods and for all their years and wisdom, sometimes things just happened and their choices were not always perfect. Tikki had, in her long lifetime, experienced more loss than she truly should have had to, and she knew she'd suffer again. It was their way. But for Marinette she wanted happiness. She had seen the pure soul within the girl and she knew in her own heart how truly miraculous Marinette could be with her Cat Noir, her Adrien, by her side.

They had listened to the heated exchange, to the accusations of stupidity and recklessness and distrust and they had heard Marinette cry. But for hours now they had heard nothing but the gentle allusion of whispering, and Tikki knew they would be okay. It may take time for them to come round to see each other as more, but Tikki knew without a doubt that she was looking at a very special set of friends. Of partners.

And they had time. She would only be able to hope, but she was sure they would work it out between them in their own way. She had of course always seen the way Cat Noir had looked at LadyBug, just as many before him had looked at theirs. And Marinette had come to love the feline just as much as she did his civilian self.

"Mine is too." Plagg agreed, his tone begrudging their heart-to-heart. "Kid thinks he can't do anything right."

"Ohh." Tikki sighed, scratching gently behind one of Plagg's ears. "I don't know how we managed this part, but we always do, somehow."

"Some rubbish about destiny and fate." Plagg muttered, a half-grumble half-whine.

Tikki responded with a tired-sounding giggle.

"You know, I did begin to suspect him." she confided. "But I thought that perhaps I was just being too…"

"Mushy." Plagg supplied. "Clichéd."

" _Romantic_." Tikki corrected in a mildly scolding tone.

"Whatever." Plagg snorted, but there was a warmth in his voice that even he could hear.

"Besides." Tikki added as she returned to her gentle gestures of affection. "Even if they don't end up together, I think they still make a miraculous team."

Plagg rolled his eyes and hummed in agreement, giving in to the feeling of Tikki stroking his ears. When he began to purr Tikki said nothing, but the smile on her face told the night how pleased she was, anyway.


	29. Chapter 29

_**(A/N):** Hey guys! I know a few chapters ago I announced we were nearing the end, but I'm afraid I have to rescind that for the moment. It seems the story has gotten away from me (again) and as such there's still a bit to go. Apologies to those who are awaiting the ending, and a huge thank you to all who have commented to tell me they don't want it to be over just yet._  
 _I'd also like to shout out to Jen on AO3 whose comments mirror my own opinions quite closely. There hasn't been a full resolution yet, I'm aware, but it is en route._  
 _As always, you guys are the reason I post and very often the push I feel when I think "Oh, I'll just write a few more lines before bed."_  
 _Your comments make my day._  
 _Happy reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Nine_

"-sorry! My alarm clock-"

Marinette burst into the classroom at a speed that put her dangerously close to stumbling. She was red from her run and looking highly uncomfortable to have her whole class stop to stare at her. _Again_. Worse still was the look the teacher was giving her, disapproving eyebrows high on his narrow face.

"This is becoming a habit, Miss Dupain-Cheng."

Marinette lowered her head.

"Yes sir. But my-"

"See yourself to your seat. I think you've disrupted us enough without having to listen to whatever excuse you've concocted this time."

Marinette gave a meek nod, turning with the intention of scurrying to her seat as fast as possible. Ignoring the snickers from her classmates and Chloé's under-her-breath comments about Marinette's life being a state, she made her way past the teacher to the steps. Just as she was passing him, Adrien's hand seemed to slip from the desktop to brush a comforting little mark against her wrist.

Of course Marinette's heart tripped, and so did she, landing with a soft thump and feeling a split second's urge to just not bother getting back up, she was so tired. Chloé and Sabrina found this hilarious, naturally, and Marinette only sighed as she pushed herself back to her feet hastily, before Adrien could even stand up to help her.

"You okay?" Alya whispered as soon as Marinette has slunk into her seat.

"I guess." Marinette replied miserably with a yawn. "I didn't get any sleep at all till almost five and I just wish I'd stayed home."

She yawned again, grinding the heels of her hands against her eyes to try and rouse herself. Alya made a sympathetic noise, forced to face the front again when the teacher shot them a disgusted look. She and Cat- She and _Adrien_ had spent the night talking in low voices about anything and everything they could think of, and she was paying for it now.

Somehow the process had been possible because she'd known he was her partner, but even telling him things she'd already let slip to Cat Noir was… strange. She was still fluttery and nervous whenever she thought of _Adrien_. At least with Cat the way her heart trembled was balanced by how comfortably _herself_ she could be around him.

Marinette dozed on and off during the remainder of the lesson, earning herself the promise of a note home from the irksome teacher as he gathered his things and left. While they waited on their next teacher to arrive Marinette buried her face in her arms again and tried her best not to whine about how unfair it was that she was so tired all the time.

Surely being a superhero wasn't supposed to be this exhausting?

"So." Alya stage-whispered, prodding her with a pencil. "Anything you'd like to tell us?"

Marinette turned her head so that half of her face was visible to her friends.

"What?"

Really, the grin on Alya's face should have been her first clue. The look on Nino's face, while a lot less aggressively nosey, should still have given her pause. But of course Marinette was sleepy and she didn't see the warning signs until way too late.

"Don't play dumb, you practically knocked us flat, Girl!"

Marinette scrunched up her face in confusion as her brain tried to click into gear. Why couldn't Alya just leave her out of conversations every now and then? She'd had such peace when she was sleepy on her own. But then again, back then she had been dozy because she'd been designing all night, not because of akumas and drama over the identity of her partner and back then she'd only had Nino to check on her.

Not that that had been a bad thing. He was a much more chilled out sort of pseudo-parent. When she was sleepy he would give her a smile and sometimes share his coffee if he'd brought one. It was easy with Nino because if she didn't give a reason he wouldn't force one from her unless he thought it was something serious. And even then he would coax her in his own way.

Alya was a whole other matter.

"Last night!" she demanded, eyes bright and curiously gleeful. "You ran right into us? Ringing a bell?"

Marinette tracked Alya's emphasised hand gestures with mild curiosity.

"Uhm.."

She did remember doing something of the sort, so focused on checking her partner was okay that she wasn't paying attention to where she was running. It was a wonder she'd made it home without getting in the way of traffic. Or maybe she had and just hadn't noticed.

"Sorry?" she tried, unable to work out why Alya was so… excited about it. "Wasn't looking where I was going?"

Alya's grin only widened, and at last Marinette began to get a vague, worried feeling in her stomach.

"What?"

"I think," Alya said in a low voice, leaning closer to her as though to pass on a secret, "that you were too busy getting home to check on… your _super_ -crush."

Marinette pulled away in bemusement, her mouth opening to query her friend's cryptic words before it dawned on her.

 _Her super-crush._

Alya thought Marinette was crushing on Cat Noir and now she'd seen Marinette racing home, and she must have seen…

Oh dear.

Marinette paled considerably, looking between Alya and Nino slowly, hoping she was wrong. She could feel Adrien's eyes on her and she just couldn't find the courage to look directly at him just yet. Despite their conversation and despite his protests, she still felt uncomfortable with the fact that she had so very wrongly thought him shallow. And worse still, she had treated him so poorly when all he'd done was try to be her friend.

She swallowed, feeling herself begin to fiddle with her pencil and _knowing_ it was a neon sign of her nervousness and yet unable to stop herself.

"Wh-What?"

Alya shot Nino a triumphant look and Marinette just knew she wasn't going to get away from this one.

"The one you're always doodling." Alya prompted her, her gleeful expression turning slightly sly as she winked. "You know… Tall, fair and… good with puns."

Yepp, she was doomed.

"I- Uhhm. I have no idea what y-you-"

"Nett, we know. It's okay, bro. Alya's just being…" he eyed their friend warily. "Alya."

Marinette groaned, hiding her face in her arms.

"Please don't tell anyone." she pleaded. "I don't want to get him into trouble."

Not technically a lie, and playing to Alya's soft nature might just pay off.

"Puhh-lease." Alya snorted with a laugh. "Believe it or not, I _can_ be discreet."

At the three matching, disbelieving looks turned her way she shrugged.

"Well, when it comes to Marinette, I can." She smiled at her dark-haired friend. "I won't tell anyone it was you, Girl. No-one would find out. I just want to know, y'know?"

Marinette peeked up at her suspiciously.

"Know what?"

Alya rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh, as if it should be perfectly obvious and Marinette was being deliberately obtuse.

"Well, two things. Firstly a clarification on your relationship and when you were going to tell us he _drops_ in to visit you in the middle of akuma battles."

Marinette squirmed, her cheeks beginning to acquire that familiar pink tinge.

"I have no idea what you-"

"We saw." Nino interrupted, his curious tone gentler than Alya's, but just as teasing. "He jumped right onto her balcony, Ad. You should have seen it. Man, it was like he'd done it before."

Marinette looked away from his amber gaze as Alya hummed in agreement, her elbow knocking Marinette.

"He was hurt." she tried, forcing one shoulder to shrug. "LadyBug told me she'd sent him to my place because she knew it was away from the battle."

"Why you?" Alya eagerly seized upon the gap in Marinette's speech, cutting off further denials. "Why your balcony? Is it because you're _totally_ in love with him? It _is_ , isn't it?"

Marinette ducked her head, feeling her cheeks burn as she tried to remain cool.

"Alya-" Nino tried, but their nosiest friend was practically vibrating with excitement, and he had no chance of popping her gleeful bubble, so to speak.

"Marinette you can tell us. We won't tell anyone. Look, here's my phone, it's not even on…"

Marinette ignored the device placed in front of her as she tried desperately to think of a way around their current predicament. If she admitted it, Alya would only press her for information, but she couldn't think of a good enough excuse and she couldn't bring Adrien into it without throwing the whole thing up another level on Alya's scale of curiosity.

"He's a friend." she said, truthfully. "I- Sometimes he comes over when he needs someone to give him painkillers or something. I guess they know I can keep a secret?"

One glance at Alya told her she _maybe_ had a chance at selling her cover-up, if she was convincing enough.

"He just needed to recover before heading home, and I gave him a glass of milk. No big deal."

Despite the dire air of the grilling she was getting, she was on the verge of giggling at the expression she could see Adrien pulling at her comment about milk. It had always caused such hilarity whenever she had teased Cat about a feline's preference for milk. Now she realised she could do it with Adrien too, and-

"We'll come back to that." Alya told her,. eyes gleaming as she grinned again. "After we've clarified the second thing I want to know."

Marinette had a bad feeling about this one.

"Which is?" she squeaked.

"Who he is!" Alya squealed, catching herself half-way through her sentence when Nino winced, and rapidly lowering her volume. "Come _on_ , Marinette! Don't you think Paris has a right to know?"

Marinette shook her head before she'd even had time to think about it.

"No." she said. "Absolutely not."

Alya looked surprised, as though she hadn't considered that Marinette wouldn't agree, and she looked to Nino for confirmation. He shrugged uneasily, and Adrien shook his head a little when she looked to him. In her haste to convince Marinette she failed to notice that he'd gone very pale, his eyes startlingly green in contrast.

"But Marinette, people want to know! They want to know who to thank for saving them, and if we find out who _Cat Noir_ is, then maybe we can get him to tell us-"

"No." Marinette repeated, her voice quiet but firm. "Their identities are secret for a reason, Alya. If HawkMoth found out-"

"Well, what could he do? LadyBug and Cat Noir would stop him anyway, just like they always do, and-"

"He'd target their families." Adrien interrupted suddenly, a strange blazing in his eyes. "He'd target their friends, their classmates. It would put everybody close to them in danger, Alya, don't you see?"

Alya looked a little less confident as she glanced between her two very serious-looking friends.

"But they'd beat him. They _always_ beat him. I just-"

Marinette shook her head again, sitting up properly and opening her mouth, but Adrien got their first, looking more intense than anyone had ever seen him in his civilian form.

"He'd send akumas after LadyBug's parents." he hissed, his tone so dangerously like Cat Noir's that Marinette was becoming worried he'd get himself caught, even as part of her melted in the face of his obvious concern for her family. "He'd target her friends, the people she loves. You would put her through that just because you want to be the one to tell Paris who she is?"

Alya looked stricken, very quickly losing confidence in the face of Adrien's sudden anger. Nino's mouth had fallen open a little and he looked so thoroughly confused that Marinette felt sorry for him. Secrets were always getting in the way. Marinette felt stuck as though she'd fallen into syrup, her eyes wide as she looked at the boy who cared so much for her and her family. The boy who was so quiet and gentle. In that moment he looked the way Cat did in battle and for a moment Marinette couldn't understand why it was so difficult for her to see them as one person.

"Adrien…"

She reached out for his arm where it leaned against her desk, her fingers gentle but firm as she wrapped them around his wrist. He turned to look at her, and when he did the anger in his eyes was so very clearly washed over with worry that she couldn't stop her heart from skipping and tumbling as she met his gaze.

"She doesn't mean any harm." she told him. "She doesn't _want_ to get people into trouble, she just… She's just curious, that's all."

Alya and Nino watched in astonishment as Adrien deflated under her words, as he seemed to shrink a little. He nodded, suddenly shy and awkward as he looked away from them all. When she was sure he was okay Marinette let go of his wrist, but he left his arm where it was, and her hand came to rest very close beside it. Something that _didn't_ go unnoticed by their journalistic friend.

"Wait, wait, wait."

Alya leaned back from them with curious brown eyes, her mood shifting instantly as a new grin came over her face. Marinette wasn't sure the relief in her system was fully justified as they fell under scrutiny for a whole other reason. She drew her hand back onto her lap, but the damage was done.

"Are you two-"

The classroom door opened and their English teacher strode in.

"Alright class, please open your workbooks to page seventy eight; the prose of Jane Austin."

Marinette busied herself with tugging the book from her schoolbag, trying not to drown in the relief flooding her veins and ignoring the frown Alya was sending her, as well as the elbow that kept poking her side. For the next hour Marinette was more focused than she had been in class for a long time, scribbling down every note and forcing herself to answer questions if only so that Alya couldn't pester her.

When the bell for Interval rang Marinette was out of the classroom like a shot, leaving behind two very confused best friends and a concerned partner.

The rest of the day went by much the same, full of Alya's (now less aggressive) pestering and Marinette's firm refusal to confirm or deny any of the increasingly wild theories the curly-haired girl sent her way.

By the time the relief of the final bell rang out, Marinette was exhausted and craving her favourite cat pillow and her blanket, determined to make a dent in the growing pile of homework that was taking over her life. She dodged Alya and Nino, intent on locking herself in her room and not leaving until she could truthfully say she was a pro-active student once more.

Of course, the second she stepped foot in her room she heard the movement on her balcony, and sighed. Her dismay at interrupted peace was short-lived, however, when the masked face appeared at her window.

"My, my, Milady. Remind me never to bet against you for the 100-metre dash."


	30. Chapter 30

_Chapter Thirty_

Marinette rolled her eyes, not bothering to fight the smile stealing across her lips.

"I knew I should have called pest control months ago." she sighed, feigning disappointment. "I seem to have attracted a rather persistent pest."

She was reaching for the window catch as she spoke, pushing the pane up to allow Cat Noir entrance, so she missed the delightfully red blush that painted his cheeks at her choice of words. He dropped down as he always did, before shooting her an almost awkward glance. It took her a heartbeat or two to realise he was asking for permission, because she'd been so enchanted by the way in which he shifted his weight, reaching up to rub the back of his neck for comfort.

"You can… you know… detransform if you like." she told him, trying not to look like she was staring as he did.

He flashed her a shy smile as he became Adrien once more, and she smiled back with an embarrassed giggle.

"I think it might take me a little while to get used to that." she admitted, watching him look down at his feet as he reached for his neck once more.

"Yeah, me too." he agreed, his nervous smile making her smile widen which made _his_ smile widen more until they were both grinning and blushing madly, avoid each other's eyes.

"Shouldn't you have, uhm.. You get picked up?"

He hummed in a breathless fashion, meeting her eyes and looking away again. Marinette's skin burned and her heart lurched and bounded with the urge to reach out and brush his fringe from his eyes.

"Yeah, I- Uhm. Wanted to see you were- I - You know."

Marinette gave a breathless chuckle at how utterly silly it was for them to be so awkward when they'd spent months growing so close that they often tangled while fighting over space on her love-seat, battling for the remote and generally getting in each other's space.

"I-"

"I want cheese."

Marinette blinked at the little kwami in surprise, having forgotten he would appear. He in turn gave her a sulky sort of look, green eyes frowning. He was probably hungry after a whole day of doing nothing, and she supposed he must be tired out from all their recent drama too.

"Of course." she smiled. "I'll just get some."

"Plagg." came Tikki's warning voice as Marinette turned away. "Must you always be so rude?"

"Yes." the kwami replied, though he did look a little chastised. "Get used to it."

Marinette slipped downstairs to the sound of Tikki's unimpressed hum, doing her best to hide her amusement from her own obviously unamused kwami.

"Hello, Adrien." the little pink goddess smiled at him. "We haven't had a chance to properly meet. I'm Tikki."

Before Adrien could even reply, Plagg had groaned and rolled his eyes very forcefully.

"Do we have to do the whole _let's-all-be-friends_ thing _every_ time, Teek?"

Tikki chastised him but seemed to glow at the nickname, even as Adrien shot the black cat a surprised look for using it. Plagg rubbed one paw over his ears, pointedly ignoring Adrien's gaze.

"Yes." Tikki confirmed, nodding her head deliberately. "It's such a relief to finally be able to see you again."

Plagg grumbled, but his ears were slack and gentle at the sides of his head, and Adrien was still far too bemused by the embarrassed affection the cat was displaying that he didn't comment on it.

"It's lovely to meet you." he answered instead, giving Tikki a grin.

Tikki glowed, bobbing up into a pleased little twirl. Plagg muttered to himself and drifted over to land on Marinette's desk, rudely nosing through the scattered sheets and ignoring Adrien's warning noise while he did so.

"Plagg come on, you haven't been given-"

"Don't you say permission, kid." the kwami huffed, picking up one sketch and dropping it lazily over his shoulder as he reached for another. "I'm a kwami. A god. I don't need permission."

Adrien glared at him, moving to collect the growing pile of discarded papers and trying to scoop the rest out of Plagg's reach.

"These are Mari's, be careful with them." he scolded, watching Tikki flutter over to land beside her counterpart.

"You're being insufferable." the red creature told him with a scowl as she took another sketch from his paws. "On purpose. Stop it now."

Plagg rolled his eyes at her and huffed, but he did glide from the table edge and float off to the open window ledge. Adrien shot Tikki an apologetic glance, and she gave him a small smile.

"He gets like this when he likes people." she told him quietly, her blue eyes tracking Plagg's lazy movements as the cat stared out the window and muttered. "He's very protective of his Chosen. This is what it looks like when someone…" she trailed off, biting her lip and looking down at the drawing in her hands with a sigh.

"When someone what?" Adrien asked, curiosity piqued at his kwami's weird behaviour. It was grumpy, even for him.

Tikki met his eye before reaching out one hand to give him the sketch.

"When someone doesn't believe in them the way he does, when they don't see them for who he sees them to be."

At his confused expression she sighed again.

"Marinette didn't mean what it might have sounded like she meant." the little kwami whispered softly. "Your friendship is so important to her and when she found out it was you she was scared. She knows you, Adrien. She knows she was wrong and she knows you have a good heart. But Marinette is so strong and so brave that sometimes it covers up the fact that she's so… _fragile_ in so many other ways. She was afraid to lose you, afraid that somehow the whole thing would turn out to be a lie and she'd be left alone."

Tikki fluttered towards the window, pausing as she reached Adrien's shoulder. Her blue eyes were deep and sad as she looked at him.

"The way she feels about you frightens her. She's scared to let her walls down in case she gets hurt, and that fear got in the way of what she knows about you."

"But I'd never do that to Mari." Adrien replied, beginning to feel just a little distraught at the prospect. "Especially not Mari. I wouldn't."

Tikki reached out a pressed a gentle little hand to his cheek.

"We know, Adrien. Marinette knows too."

And with that she floated off to hover beside Plagg, their little forms colourful and bright in the streaming afternoon sunshine. He had barely enough time to think what to say, let alone actually say it, before Marinette pushed the trapdoor open and climbed through. She closed it carefully, balancing a plate on one hand as she did so and making sure it was closed before she began to speak.

"I brought a couple different kinds. Papa brought Camembert yesterday and I managed to get some."

Her blue eyes met his and she smiled cheerfully, clearly pleased with herself, and her eyes tracked the room for the kwami. Adrien turned to point at the window before he realised that they weren't there anymore.

"Must have uh, gone outside." he said sheepishly, feeling bad for Plagg's demands of cheese and his disappearing. "Sorry, Mari. He's a bit… Well, you saw."

Marinette smiled softly.

"It's okay, I don't blame him." she replied, placing the plate beside her computer keyboard and trailed her fingers over the scattered sheets in a vague effort to tidy some of them. She wasn't looking at Adrien, but her face was reddening and her hands were a little shaky, and she could _feel_ his gaze on her.

How could she be this nervous when she'd had him here all those nights in his superhero guise? Why was it that as Adrien he sent her pulse racing and her thoughts scattering? How, when she was coming to accept that she'd fallen for both sides of him, was it his civilian form that frightened her most?

"Mari…"

She gave him a shy smile before turning back her desk top.

"It's okay, you know. I don't blame you either if you're upset, or angry."

"Let's not get into that." he said, sidling up beside her and handing her the sketch Tikki had taken from Plagg, one covered in detailed scarf design with little paw prints and stitched puns around the edges.

"We should talk it out, Cha- Adrien." she corrected herself in a jumble, turning redder still and shooting him an apologetic glance.

"I just don't think we need to talk about it. We're moving forward, aren't we?"

"But we _do_ need to talk about it. I- Aren't you angry? Don't you feel- Don't you think we need to talk over it, at least so that you have the chance to tell me how it made you feel?"

"Mari…"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair and leaving it adorably messy in a way that made it very hard for Marinette to concentrate.

"It's fine. You had every right to be angry with me, I understand why you-"

"No!" Marinette interrupted with an exasperated sigh. "You need to stop _doing_ that!"

He looked at her in surprise, unsure what exactly she was talking about, why she looked so annoyed with him.

"Uhm, doing what?"

Marinette threw him a pained look.

"Putting me on a pedestal. Saying that I have every right- Doesn't it upset you to think about how I treated you?"

"Yes!" he hissed back. "Yes, it upsets me!"

"Then shouldn't we-"

"I can't, Mari. I don't- It's all… mixed up. I don't want to-"

He looked away, and Marinette had to resist the instant urge to drop it and pull him into a hug and never bring it up again. Because she needed him to know what she'd done was stupid and selfish and that she was… _flawed._ Part of her wanted to stop herself, but she knew that they had to be equals, that he had to see her for who she was and if he didn't then they didn't stand a chance.

She reached out to lay a comforting hand on his arm.

"Adrien… You know that we're partners, right? That you'll always be my Cat Noir no matter what?"

He nodded, the blonde curls brushing the nape of his neck as he did so. She wished he'd look at her again.

"You've got to be able to be honest with me." she whispered, hesitant fingers brushing those gentle curls. "When- When you're upset or- or angry, when it's my fault… You've got to be able to tell me. What I did… Chaton, I'm sorry. I was so caught up in my own insecurities that I hurt you, and it was selfish of me and I should have known better than to ever believe you would do that. I know you're not like that. I know you're not any of the things I accused you of being, but I treated you so horribly. I'm not the perfect person you think I am, and I need you to know that it's okay for you to say so."

She moved closer, stepping around to face him, ducking her chin to try and catch his lowered gaze. Her fingers curled against his neck.

"I need you to know that you're allowed to be mad at me. It would be healthy for you to be mad at me. I need to know you should call me out when I'm being ridiculous. That you're allowed to be upset and disappointed, because I'm not- I'm not what you've always treated me as. I'm LadyBug, but I'm not miraculous. I'm- Sometimes I don't think I'm good enough to be your partner, and sometimes I'm so awful that I _know_ you deserve better. I want you to be able to call me out."

"Mari… I… Yeah, it sucks, okay? Yeah, it hurts. I'd never do anything like that to you, so yeah. I hate that I couldn't make you trust me."

"Adrien-"

"But it's done. I don't… I don't want to hash it all out or talk about how scared I am that you don't trust me. I just want to move on, I want- I want to be your friend, Mari. I want us to be the way we've been these past few months."

He finally looked at her to see her looking torn and sorrowful, and he reached out bravely to take her hand in his.

"Chaton," she whispered, brushing his fringe from his eyes with soft fingers, "I'm sorry. I'm not… I'm just plain, boring me." she murmured, watching her fingers brush his fringe like she couldn't quite believe it was happening, that she was doing such a thing. "I'm not worth all the trouble and awfulness I've put you through."

"I've always thought you were worth it." he told her quietly, looking down at his hands. "I knew on that very first day, when you saved Chloé and you saw Mylène and Ivan and you fixed everything. You were amazing, Mari, and I wanted to be just as amazing as you."

"You are." she whispered, soft fingers cupping his cheek to make him look at her. "You _are_ amazing, Adrien. Much more amazing than I am, and you don't even see it."

He reached out boldly to mimic he gesture, his fingertips ghosting over her forehead as he brushed her fringe back.

"But then I got to know Marinette, and LadyBug… She began to pale in comparison." he whispered, words silk and cream in the quiet of the room and the intensity of their stance.

Marinette stared at him with round blue eyes, her expression startled and disbelieving.

"I got to know you and I… I fell for you all over again and harder. You have no idea, Mari No idea how amazing you are without your mask."

"We get it, you're _destined_ to be together." came a grumpy voice, making them jump and pull apart, stammering and red, hearts thudding hard and breaths uneven. "Save the mush. I believe I ordered cheese."


	31. Chapter 31

_Chapter Thirty One_

Adrien shot the kwami a glare as the small black form zipped down to land on the plate's rim, paws hovering indecisively before settling on the Camembert. As Plagg began to eat, enthusiastically and messily, Adrien stepped forward and opened his mouth to scold him. A gentle touch against his cheek halted him.

Tikki gave her head a small shake when he looked at her, before she fluttered over to rest on Marinette's shoulder. He watched as she rubbed a gentle circle against Marinette's jaw and stretched up to whisper in her ear. He watched as Marinette's eye flickered to him and then to the kwami as the little form drew away, her face paling a little.

"Mari?" he asked, wanting to reach out for her but feeling watched by Plagg and Tikki and unsure Marinette would let him.

Well, she liked him, didn't she? At least she had done, before. If Alya was right. Which Alya often wasn't. He forced the thought from his head. Marinette had told him before, hadn't she? Had she? He couldn't really remember, but he knew she felt _something_. But maybe she wouldn't want him to in front of their kwamis, either.

Tikki fluttered away, back over to the window, and Adrien felt a momentary hope that she was going to drag his own annoying kwami outside again so that he could… So that he could what? Convince Marinette that they didn't need to go through how awful it felt to be so unsure of her affections?

No thank you.

"Adrien?"

When compared to Plagg's, Tikki's voice was soothing and melodic, carrying the sound of reassuring hugs and giggles to his ears. He looked at her, glancing back to Marinette as the little ladybug motioned for him to follow her.

"She wants to… uhm, to speak to you." his friend answered helpfully, looking away again in a very… Well. A very Marinette sort of way.

He began to feel just a little worried about what it could be the kwami wanted to say to him, what it was she couldn't say in front of her Chosen. He shot Marinette one more glance, his eyes bright, but she only gave him that sweet, shy smile and nodded.

"Go." she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. She won't bite."

Adrien smiled obligingly back at her, but as he was climbing through the skylight he was _sure_ he heard Plagg mutter something that sounded like _No, but I do_.

When the window was closed, Marinette turned to look at the kwami on the plate, her heart starting to push a fearful anticipation through her bloodstream at Tikki's words. He had his back to her and a triangle of cheese in his paws and he seemed to be completely unaware of her presence. Or, at least, he gave the impression he was unaware.

Marinette could feel the nervous well inside her begin to build, even though she knew it wouldn't help. She bit her bottom lip hard and tried not to wonder what Tikki was telling Adrien right at that moment, what secrets she might reveal. It all went round and round in her head and made her room feel a little stuffy.

Just when it was becoming too much, Plagg lifted his head from cleaning his paws and set his narrow green eyes on her. She opened her mouth to speak but somehow found she couldn't even squeak. So she closed it again, sharp.

"I don't like you." Plagg started off, making Marinette's heart drop just a little. "I think you're selfish and self-centred and ignorant and I don't like you."

The guilt was prickling in her mouth and nose again, the shame burning hard on her skin. She tried to look away from him but somehow she couldn't find the courage. The kwami stared at her, his gaze flickering up and down and tracking across her face as though he were working her out. Or trying to find a chink in her armour to take advantage of.

Marinette held firm, even though her eyes were beginning to feel too warm and her lungs were trembling.

"I don't care what Tikki says, you don't deserve to wear those earrings."

The cat's voice was quiet, tone matter-of-fact and level without heat, giving no indication that the words he was choosing were so sharp and acidic when they struck her. For Plagg to say that she shouldn't be LadyBug… Well.

It was something she'd always secretly known anyway, wasn't it? She should have left those earrings in Alya's bag. She should have found a way to tell the fierce and just girl that _she_ should be LadyBug. She almost wished she had done. She could feel the tears again in her eyes. She was so tired of crying, so sick of feeling so crappy and awful. She wished she hadn't found out about Adrien. She wished he hadn't found out about her. She wished they could just go back and make things the way they always were.

And yet, of course, she didn't. Because for the first time since realising she'd fallen for Cat Noir, her heart belonged to one person and one person only. It always had, but in a way it hadn't, not for her. All their battles, learning his style and realising that he knew hers, that he knew _her_. All those nights, all those visits, she had seen him for who he was, who he wanted to be when he was able to escape the shadow of his prominent father.

She didn't wish that away, she wouldn't. Not for anything. It lit a little flame in Marinette when she thought about that.

"You're wrong." she said, and she almost sounded like she meant it.

Plagg turned to look at her, his green eyes busy and narrow and she wondered if he was always like that, always so guarded and snippy. She wondered if Adrien had been gifted a kwami who was so harsh when she herself had been given one who was so warm and gentle and loving. It made her uncomfortably aware of all the things she didn't think about when she said the things she'd said to him.

"I don't think I am." he replied, his tail beginning to jerk from one side to the other. "In my experience, which is far more vast than yours, I've rarely seen someone given those earrings who deserved them less than you."

Marinette could feel herself trembling, even as she tried to hold still she trembled more. The tears were falling even though she was trying not to let them and she began to feel a little more out of control as each second ticked by.

"Tikki wouldn't do that." she managed to say. "She wouldn't have told me I could do it if she didn't think I was worthy."

It was a firm enough argument, but it paled beside the insecurity she was feeling, and she just knew the kwami could see that. He raised an eyebrow and snorted, turning his head back to pick out a new piece of cheese.

"You don't sound like you believe that, human."

"Well I do. Tikki wouldn't lie to me like that." she answered.

Plagg snorted.

"Tikki and I go back further than your own knowledge of your histories. We have been partners since the earliest humans existed. Your kind have always been at war, and there have always been super villains, even before you knew them as such. We have always been around, so don't think that you can tell me what Tikki would or wouldn't do, when you have only just come to know her."

Marinette said nothing, even though she wanted to. She grit her teeth and glared at him through her tears, wishing there was something she could think to say that would argue against it. She was growing irritable, and mostly with herself because she _knew_ that what he was saying made sense. And it chipped away at her confidence, at her certainty that the ladybug wouldn't do ugh a thing.

"And you don't know your own partner either." Plagg continued, sounding as though he had reached the point of his speech, looking back at her with those fierce, narrowed eyes. "You have only proven my point with the way you've treated him."

Marinette's heart clenched as she realised what was happening. Tikki hadn't wanted to speak to Adrien. Plagg had wanted to speak to her.

"I-"

"No, you'll listen to me." he snapped, floating up into the air in front of her. He looked beyond angry, so dangerous that it made Marinette feel a little afraid. The thought that he was the superhero partner to her own kwami withered in the presence of knowing he was the _destruction_ to Tikki's creation.

"I don't _care_ whether Tikki picked you or not. Your actions have not been the actions of a worthy Chosen. Your words have been the words of a coward, of someone who doesn't care that they hurt other people on the road to what they want. The way you have been acting, _Marinette_ , is the way that villains like your HawkMoth start out. Whether Tikki chose you for our side or not, you haven't lived up to your gift."

Marinette choked out a disagreeing noise, shaking her head as her tears fell hard and fast.

"No…" she whispered, feeling the pit of all those feelings, all those fears, all those times she'd thought she wasn't worthy opening up inside, threatening to swallow her once more. "That's not true- I didn't- " She hiccuped, looking at him with dreadful, horrified eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt him! I was scared that- I-"

She couldn't force the words out, she couldn't say what she knew to be true. She hadn't meant to hurt him. She'd hurt him, alright. But not on purpose.

"You thought he'd deceived you." Plagg finished for her, buzzing angrily in a tight circle. "You distrusted him and assumed he'd lied to you, that he'd been disloyal. You turned him out because of your own stupid issues and I won't stand for it."

He streaked past her, hovering agitatedly between her and the open skylight, the light behind him drenching him in shadows and making the fierce greenness of his eyes blaze.

"I don't care whether you meant to or not, you did, and it looks like I'm the only one who really sees it."

He shot her one last look and then turned through the skylight, leaving Marinette to stand in the middle of the room alone as the awfulness of what she'd done returned in force. How could she have done that?

How could she have betrayed him so thoroughly, believing him to be the betrayer? Marinette felt it seize hold of her, felt the realisation and the guilt truly clench at her heart.

Cat Noir, for he was Adrien, had almost no-one. His mother was gone, his father aloof; unreachable and cold. She knew from their friendship that he'd been raised as a home-schooled child by a string of tutors and experts, trained by professionals who forgot he was a child. The closest thing to a maternal influence he possessed was his father's assistant.

Nobody in his life knew him for who he was. Chloé had been the closest thing to a friend he had had before starting school, and that was awful. He had Nino now, and ALya and Marinette, but he had never had that before, people who cared about him for who he was. He had fans, sure. People who saw him to be this flawless, ideal person. But they didn't know him, didn't see the things she had seen, the weakness and the uncertainty she knew he battled.

He had become her friend, in and out of the mask and he had bared his soul, possibly allowing her to see sides of him nobody else had ever seen. He'd trusted her, given her his secrets and allowed her to know all of him.

And she had shut him out and turned him away, just like everyone else in his life.

"Marinette? What happened? What di…"

Tikki trailed off, staring in alarm as her Chosen sank to the floor with a blank, blind-sided expression on her face. She was crying silently, tears gathering pregnantly before rolling over the crests of her cheeks to fall like wet crystal. She turned round, vast blue eyes her way and whispered brokenly in response.

"I did something terrible, Tikki. And I didn't even know how awful it was. I didn't think…"

"Oh Marinette." the kwami sighed, fluttering down to rest soothingly on the girl's shoulder. "I know. You didn't mean to, it just… You were upset."

"I was awful." Marinette whispered, closing her eyes in anguish. "I treated him like- I didn't-"

She opened her eyes to blink at her.

"Where is he? I have to tell him."

Tikki shook her head, reaching out to comfort Marinette.

"Plagg took him home. The people who collect hi from school will be looking for him."

Marinette deflated, her head hanging down as she nodded lethargically.

"Tikki? Were… Were you…" her voice was trembling uncooperatively, making it difficult for her to form words.

"Was I what?"

Marinette took a deep breath.

"Wrong." she whispered. "Choosing me?"

"What? No, of course not. What's gotten into you, Marinette?"

The girl took a snuffling breath and drew one sleeve across her damp face.

"I hurt him so badly. I've been such a monster. Would the true LadyBug do that?"

"Oh, Marinette." Tikki sighed, pressing close to give her Chosen a hug. "No. Don't say that. Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes."

She flitted around to see the girl's face, to lift her chin and look her in the eyes.

"You did something awful, yes. But what makes you LadyBug is that you'll fix it, Marinette. You'll make it right. I believe in you."


	32. Chapter 32

_**(A/N):** Hey guys. I'd just like to try and convert how absolutely psyched I've been over the responses from the last few chapters. As some of you may already know, my life has been exponentially more busy than usual lately and I've been away for much longer stretches of time between chapters than I'd like. I feel so guilty, not replying to all the comments like I'd set out to do at the start of the year. While I have not done this, I'd like to stress to you all that I read each and every comment, and your ideas and theories are fantastic. Several of you have actually taken the same path with your thoughts as I have, and it's been so gratifying to see people responding to this._

 _It's also been nice not to be the only one who's a little annoyed at Marinette, who was eager for Plagg to have his say, who feels for Adrien and his lack of a support network._

 _For all of you, and especially the ones who have been holding out through the angst awaiting some more of that almost-forgotten fluff, I hope this chapter will be what you're waiting for._

 _As always, you guys are awesome._

 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

 _Chapter Thirty Two_

Marinette's parents had to call her name several times at dinner every time they spoke to her. Her mother had to remind her that she was drying a plate once she'd been rubbing at it for a while. She wasn't even sure what homework she was doing as she scribbled answers down, and all the while her gaze was continually drawn to the view outside the windows, her eyes tracking the falling sun and the growing evening shadows.

When it was finally approaching nighttime Marinette felt like she'd spent years waiting for it, an eternity of pasta and dishwater and history homework. If it had even been history.

She'd been sitting in a curled ball on her loveseat, staring at the square of sky she could see through the skylight. She tracked the clouds and the birds, watching the blue pinken and darken to lavender, cerise, mullbery.

Her skin was itching when she'd finally had enough. The stars weren't out yet but she couldn't sit any longer, couldn't face another moment of the cushions against her back, of the fabric of her socks burning her feet, of her fingers tapping a rhythm on her shins.

She unfolded herself and stood up, extracting herself from the housecoat she had been clutching close around herself. Her lashes were harsh on her skin when she blinked, her cheeks tight with forgotten salt. She took a breath, feeling for the first time in forever that she was really part of the moment she was in. She coughed, scrubbing at her face to try and feel human once more.

She should go and wash her face. She could probably use a shower. It would make her more awake, feel more alive. But dusk was settling outside and she couldn't make herself wait any longer.

"Tikki?" she asked, her voice a scratchy rasp in the quiet room. "Spots on."

The night was cool and gentle on her skin as Marinette forced herself back into her body, as she dragged her consciousness back into her head and locked it in. Her yo-yo swung her through the streets, the sounds of pedestrians below calling greetings familiar and comforting.

For Plagg was wrong, and she was LadyBug. And LadyBug would fix what she had broken.

When she reached the street they had agreed for Friday nights she halted, landing silently on a building some doors down. She hadn't expected to see him there already, had banked on having some time to breathe and rehearse what she needed to say. Her peace offering was clutched tightly in one hand, lifted as she'd leapt from her room.

But now she looked at it, feel her confidence waver.

 _What if it was too soon?_

 _What if he wasn't ready for her to broach the subject?_

She didn't know what Tikki had said to him on the balcony, remembering only now that she had meant to ask. But she had been too consumed by Plagg's words, by the way part of her just wanted to give in and accept that he was right. She had been too busy worrying and wondering and trying to think how to say what needed said that she hadn't stopped to think that Adrien hadn't wanted to talk about it.

 _What if he still didn't?_

LadyBug bit her lip as she watched him.

He was sitting on their agreed perch, his legs dangling over the edge and swinging slightly. He was leaning back on his hands and his head was tipped back, his ears slicked back a little. The fading light was falling like stardust in his hair and she felt her stomach lurch as she looked at him. He looked so comfortable, so at peace. She had always loved that about him, without knowing how comforting she had always found it.

She watched him for a time, the way he tipped his head to one side or the other as he watched birds flying overhead. LadyBug watched him and felt her heart turn heavy when she thought of what she had done to him. The sky was indigo, navy, and speckled with awakening stars before she shook herself.

With a bracing breath she swung across the street, alighting on his rooftop as silently as a falling leaf. He had his back to her and his head down, watching the people below his feet. She steeled herself as she crept closer, each step feeding her nerves until she was stood right there, only just out of his peripheral vision. He had to know by now that she was there but he made no indication of it, simply tipping his head back again to look up at the canvas taking shape above them.

LadyBug sat down beside him, tucking one leg under the other knee as it dangled over the edge beside his. They sat in a hushed quiet for a very long moment, until long after LadyBug's breathing had slowed and her heart had calmed. The moon was starting to rise when she turned to see his face properly, to see the way the silver above shone in his eyes.

"Hello, Chaton."

He blinked, tipping his face to look at her. His mouth moved into a gentle smile.

"Hello, Bug."

She smiled back, feeling the warmth of his presence wash over her, soothing her nerves once more. She had worked herself up about this, had worried herself sick thinking of worst-case scenarios about him coming to his senses and realising his partner was a monster. In a way, it made her feel guiltier that he looked so pleased to see her. She couldn't stand to look at that smile knowing now what she'd truly done. She looked away.

"I'm sorry." she whispered. "What I did…" She bit her lip and fresh tears threatened to spill.

 _Gods, she was so sick of crying. What right did she have to break down when it was her who had broken his trust?_

He didn't say anything. But she could feel him looking at her with those eyes, the eyes that seemed to see through any defence she put up. She breathed carefully through her nose to keep the trembling fear at bay.

"I did something really awful. And I can't take it back. And what only makes it worse is realising that I didn't even consider just how awful it was. I wrapped myself so tightly in my own issues and my own fears that I didn't think about you."

She hung her head low, gripping her offering and trying her hardest to make it through what she had to say.

"I considered the possibility that you were deliberately lying to me. I believed that you would do that. I got so freaked out at the possibility that you liked ladyBug more than Marinette that I let you down, and I can't just say sorry and take that back."

She looked at him, hating how much she wanted right then to hear him say it was okay, to hear him crack some dreadful pun or other to make her smile. He met her gaze, his green eyes steady and his face pale as he looked at her and looked. Every inch of her begged for her to look away, to pretend it wasn't happening and change the subject.

He could see her for what she was right then and she wanted it to stop. She clenched her hands. She wanted to push him away, to make him stop looking at her like-

It hit her like a slap to the face.

She was still doing it. Pushing him away when she felt insecure, because she didn't trust him to see what was under her mask and still like her.

 _Come on, LadyBug! You're better than that!_

She took a deep, steadying breath and held out her hand to him, fighting the urge to cringe when his eyes dropped to see. His touch was gentle as she passed it to him, as he turned it over and glanced at her with a puzzled face.

"I-" she choked, coughing to clear the fear from her throat. "I want to fix it. I want to show you that I- that I know what I did and how wrong it was and that I- that I know how much I hurt you."

Cat Noir looked back up at her.

"It… I thought it was fitting." Doubt began to seep into her again. "It- It's silly. But I- It…"

She looked down at the stretch of black fabric in his hands, seeing the way it hid against his suit, soft on the leather.

"I accept." he whispered, finally, his voice low and… and wary.

When she looked back at him he smiled slowly.

"I accept your a _paw_ logy." he told her, his eyes beginning to glow as his smile widened into a grin. "Milady."

LadyBug could feel the red bleeding into her cheeks as she fought to hold his gaze, her face burning as he chuckled.

"I know… I know that I was wrong to doubt you." she told him, when her face wasn't so hot and his green eyes had turned back to look at the sky.

His hand was resting on the rooftop beside her own, mere centimetres between them, but right then she felt the distance like it was a gulf of miles.

"Mari…"

She shook her head, avoiding his gaze and forging on before she could chicken out.

"You're my partner and my friend and I- I ought to remember that."

Cat Noir sighed, turning away to look out across their city once more. She watched the moonlight dance across his face, reflecting on the black of his mask. She saw the boy underneath, and it made her feel weak and wrong.

"I get it, Mari. I know why you did it and I- I understand how afraid you were. I guess I would be too if I'd found out you knew and didn't tell me."

He looked down at the fabric in his hands, twisting and fiddling as he spoke each word.

"But it hurt anyway. I mean I… I knew you were… You weren't such a fan of Adrien, or really of Cat Noir, and I- I guess I forgot to think about that. I was just so _excited_. I'd hoped it was you." he said, looking at her shyly, "I didn't even notice I was hoping until I found out and- It was the best news I've ever had. I guess I didn't think about how it might make you feel."

He looked away again, one gloved thumb stroking the black material absently. And LadyBug drew up her courage. He twitched a little when her hand touched his arm, but he didn't pull away.

"This isn't your fault." she told him, voice steady and sure, "This wasn't because of you. I messed up, Adrien." Her whispers grew to a hiss, her tone becoming fierce, "This was _my_ fault. I pushed you away. I didn't trust you when I should have. I threw away our friendship because I was scared you'd done the same. How stupid is that?"

She gave a humourless chuckle, her fingers tightening on his arm.

"I hurt you. I believed you would hurt me on purpose. I locked you out. I- I shut you down when you tried to tell me, instead of actually listening to you, I should have listened- I…."

She drew a shuddering breath.

"I betrayed you, Chaton. And I can't undo it."

He looked up, his eyes anguished, and reached out as thought to touch her cheek, faltering halfway there, unsure. His fingers curled back against his palm and his eyes flooded with fear. LadyBug's heart twinged at seeing him look at her like that.

"I'm sorry. I understand if… If you don't want to be my partner any more, If you want to- If you'd rather I gave you space, or-"

Her words were wavering and breaking and she needed him to know that she understood what she'd done, the consequences of her actions. She knew he had every right to turn her away and yet her heart held hope that he wouldn't. Not that she deserved to avoid that fate.

"Tell me." she asked him, hoping he wouldn't. "And I'll go."

"You're still my partner." he said instead, with a firm conviction.

His hand crossed the distance and alighted softly on her cheek.

"And you're still my friend."


	33. Chapter 33

_Chapter Thirty Three_

"It's not true, y'know."

Cat Noir turned his head to look at her where she sat atop the tower, her legs swaying in the nighttime breeze.

"What's not true?"

He saw her smile a little, her head ducking down as though in an attempt to hide her face.

"What you said last night. About me not being a fan."

Cat pushed off from the pole he had been leaning against, stepping over to stand beside her. She lifted her face to look at him, an embarrassed smile escaping across her lips at the same time he could see a blush streaking from under her mask. Her eyes gleamed sapphire against the bold red.

"Of you."

He lowered himself to sit beside her, his eyes never leaving hers. Intrigue was sparking through his system. He smiled.

"So you are a fan?"

She looked away, her face reddening and her fingers curling together nervously.

"Yeah. Of…" she swallowed. "Of both sides of you."

His heart jerked, his eyes wide as he ducked his head closer, to peer under her fringe to her face.

"Even Adrien?"

LadyBug coughed, shooting him a view of those bright blue eyes and an embarrassed half-smile.

"Yes."

Cat Noir's confidence grew, his smirk growing bolder.

"Even this fine feline?"

LadyBug groaned and lifted her head, suddenly relaxing so much so fast that he couldn't help but take note.

"Yes, Cat. Even him."

Cat Noir chuckled, leaning back to give her her personal space back.

"Well that's interesting." he said.

She shot him another glance.

"Interesting?"

He looked at her, taunting her with only that cocky smirk. She could feel her heart warming again.

"Yes, interesting. Because I once heard a little birdie proclaim that you were more than a fan."

His partner's face paled soquickly he worried about her, sitting up.

"Mari?"

And then the colour flooded back like a tidal wave, staining her skin the colour of her suit as her eyes seemed to grow bluer, deeper, even more beautiful.

"I'm going to kill her." LadyBug said, in a strangled voice. "I'm going to- Oh!"

She looked so caught, so stuck between mortified and irritated that he couldn't help himself. He reached out to take her hand, his Cat Noir confidence flushing through him heavily as he raised her hand to his lips. Her eyes were wide on his as he did so, her pupils tracking him as she seemed to stop breathing. He pressed his lips to her knuckles, watching with intense eyes as her own fluttered shut.

The want to kiss her properly hit him so hard he almost toppled from their perch. Had it really only been days ago that she had kissed him that night on the rooftop? Had it really been such a short time since she had been pushing his face away, snatching her hand back? It felt like an eternity, and right then Cat wanted to kiss her more than ever.

So much it made his mouth dry.

"Mari?" he whispered, leaning in a little, close enough to smell her perfume.

She kept her eyes shut, her breathing irregular and so quiet only his sensitive ears caught it.

"Mmhm?" she breathed back, her face so close to his.

"Was it true?"

Her eyes flickered open, and if she was surprised or uncomfortable to find him so close, she didn't show it. Instead, she met his gaze.

"Was what true?"

His confidence was beginning to crumble with her proximity, as his brain continued to remind him that this was _Mari, this is Marinette! It's Marinette, It's her!_

"What Alya said." he managed, looking away. "On your balcony, and at school."

LadyBug bit her lip, and then she drew away, seemingly to breathe. Cat Noir shifted, their sides almost flush now, her presence beside him comforting and safe.

"I…" She trailed off, looking down towards Paris as she swallowed hard. "I've… always been a fan." she started, glancing at him and away again, "I.. From that very first day, when you gave me your umbrella in the rain, do you remember?"

Cat Noir chuckled, the memory producing a sweet warmth in him as he recalled it.

"Yeah. I'm not really great at making friends. Sorry about that."

LadyBug smiled, shook her head.

"You made one that day. I.." Her blush burned. "If I'm honest, that was sort of where it all started for me."

He looked at her curiously.

"Where what all started?"

She shook her head, turning away, before pausing and looking up at him with surprised eyes.

"Sorry." she said, turning back, "I- It's automatic. I'll… I'll tell you. But-" She looked down at her hands again. "You have to promise not to laugh at me."

He gave her a wide grin, hoping to make her feel more comfortable, to chase the uneasiness around her away.

"Cat's honour." he told her, and his heart tumbled as she smiled.

"My… Oh Cat, this is so embarrassing." she whispered, covering her eyes.

Before he could even open his mouth to ask what she meant she was out with it, a jumbled, rushing mess that stopped him still.

"Thatwaswheremywholeobsessionwithyoustarted." she said, taking a half-breath, "AndIwassortofsmittenandeversinceI'vebeentooscaredtotellyou."

Cat Noir blinked, one half of his brain slowing to decipher words from the noise she'd hissed out and the other racing ahead with a conclusion. He looked at her in surprise, as she seemed to lose confidence and shrink before his eyes.

"What?"

LadyBug took a breath, one so long and so slow and so deep that Cat wondered how on Earth she managed it. And then promptly began to worry about the fact that she felt she needed a breath so huge to steady herself. She gave him one last, deciding look, before flushing redder still and closing her eyes.

When she spoke, her voice was soft and careful, as though it might blow away on the night breeze.

"I judged you, that first day. I saw you and I thought… I thought you were going to be just like Chloé. I thought that… That you'd just be another one like her. And you… You didn't know me, you had no reason to care what I thought or to care that I was so… well," her tone was laced with embarrassment, shame, "that I was so angry. But you did. And when you- when you gave me your umbrella, even though it was raining so much and you were going to get soaked, I-"

She broke off, her voice disappearing a little further. She had ducked her head at some point, when he hadn't noticed.

"I couldn't help it. I wasn't… I didn't expect it. And all the stuff going on, all the getting used to having _powers_ , and trying to decide how to keep an eye on this crazy partner I'd been given, I just… It just happened."

He could hear her smile when she talked about him, see it sweet and fragile on her face. He thought back to their beginning, back to how she'd scolded him so easily, so naturally that first time. To how she'd taken charge so automatically and yet in such a way that he didn't feel bossed or belittled. He thought about the way she'd been so clearly unsure and afraid and yet she'd rallied, and rallied _him_ , and she'd made sure they saved the day.

"What happened?"

LadyBug, _Marinette_ , sighed and turned her head away, giving him a half-glance from under her lashes.

"I… I… I fell." she choked.

He'd reached for her before he'd meant to, his hand stopping short of her shoulder as he wondered whether she'd want him to touch her, to comfort her. He swallowed, a little irritated with his own uncertainty. Where had that come from? Cat Noir was fearless and bold, for pity's sake.

"Fell?" he repeated, feeling anticipation begin to awaken in his veins.

Did she mean…?

LadyBug heaved a deep breath, a chuckling sigh, a noise not quite of embarrassment, not quite of frustration.

"Do I have to spell it out for you, Noir?" she asked, and when he blinked she was giving him the side-eye, her face scarlet but her eyes teasing, just a little bold.

It made him grin instinctively, his confidence returning in a rush as without even thinking he cocked his head, prowling closer into her personal space.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind..."

It came out as an almost-purr, a challenge, and he could see in her eyes that she saw it for what it was.

She bit her lip, took a breath, and then she _smirked_.

"I fell for _you_."


	34. Chapter 34

_**(A/N):** Okay! So this was originally planned to be the end, the last Chapter leaving what happens next up to you guys. However, I feel like maybe there might be a few people reading who (Like I would, admittedly, if I was reading) will want to know what happens, or even just want more time between Marinette and Adrien to solidify their resolved feelings._  
 _So for those who are happy to have travelled here and who are prepared to get off the train, I thank you for your support, for your comments and your encouragement and for the patience you have had throughout the journey._  
 _You all rock._  
 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

Monday. Monday again. Marinette buried her head in her arms and tried to block out the riotous chatter from the other students in the room.

How were they all so awake and noisy this early on a Monday? She couldn't even _think_ straight, she was so tired. She felt like she needed a week of sleep, free from school and _akumas_ , just so that she could truthfully begin calling herself human again. Nino was laughing at something Alya was telling him in a rushed, excited whisper and the sound, usually so familiar and welcome, was just hurting her brain as it tried to find a way to power down without actually sleeping.

"Nino…" she yawned in a whine. "I'm too tired, can you turn it down a notch?"

She heard Adrien make a quiet sound of agreement. It seemed she wasn't the only one trying to catch some extra sleep while she could.

"Yeah, Nino. The noise level in this room is _Cat_ -astrophic."

Of course Nino found this funnier, and even Alya was giggling. Despite herself, Marinette was smiling sleepily, even as she covered her ears better with her arms. Her partner's sense of humour was still so wonderfully irritating and yet also so… _nice._

"Ohhh, just be _quiet_ , Whiskers."

There was a pause in which Alya looked at Nino before Marinette jerked, suddenly wide-awake, her head coming up in surprise at her own words. She blinked, opening her mouth to speak and-

"Whatever you say, _Bugaboo_." Adrien yawned in reply.

There was a stunned silence as Marinette paled dramatically and Nino and Alya just _stared_. It took several long, horrifying seconds before Adrien's eyes popped open and instantly met Marinette's gaze. She could see her own dread reflected in his eyes as he sat up painfully slowly. Neither of them blinked as they looked at each other in a shared and silent panic. It was eventually Alya who spoke, her voice making Marinette flinch as Adrien cringed away from it.

"Oh my _god_. You two sound like…"

Alya trailed off, her expression freezing on her face as she stared at them with widening eyes. Nino didn't seem to notice, chuckling and finishing her thought.

"Like an old married couple. Honestly, what's with you? You can totally tell us if you're dating, y'know. You guys are acting so _weird_ , dude."

Alya looked at Marinette, really _truly_ looked at her and Marinette _knew_. Her blue eyes widened as she watched the cogs turning behind those black glasses, watched the way in which realisation was flooding the depths of Alya's eyes. Her heart was racing and she was beginning to freak out.

Alya _knew_. They'd gotten themselves caught and now Alya _knew_ and she was going to put it on the LadyBlog and the whole of Paris would-

"You can't tell anyone." she hissed, reaching out and grabbing hold of Alya's wrist as her mouth spoke words her brain hadn't authorised. Her friend looked at her in astonishment, mouth still working but no sound coming out. "Alya _please_ you can't tell _anyone_!"

Nino was looking at them now, his face a confusing mix of concern and surprise. Marinette didn't need to look at Adrien to know he'd be looking exactly how she was right then. Her brain was beginning to jar and stick and she could feel her breathing picking up.

"Alya _please- please-_ "

"So you _are_ dating?" Nino asked, and Marinette could hear his hesitation.

Nino wasn't stupid. He'd wonder that her freaking out was over nothing more than simply _secret_ _dating_. Even if that date was her crush of a year and change. Her heart was rushing blood through her veins so fast she could hear it and breathing was making her dizzy. She couldn't get enough air, her lungs beginning to send distress signals that only muddled her brain further. Her parents. HawkMoth would _know_ and he would- He'd _use_ them-

"No- _yes_ \- Wait, I- Nino _please_ \- just- I- Alya!"

She had to break off to gasp, knowing it would only make it worse and still unable not to. She was slipping into _another_ panic attack, and of course realising such a thing only pushed her further down the slope. She hadn't had so many in years. Her head was spinning. The lights were too bright and she could feel her stomach tumbling as though she were on the crest of a roller coaster and she _knew_ was hyperventilating and-

And Adrien's cool fingers were gripping hers tightly, an anchor in the real and conscious world that she scrambled to hold on to. The world was growing fuzzy around her and her _brain_ was too hot and her blood- She could feel it _pushing_ and she was going to be sick and- and-

His vivid eyes were locked on her and he looked so much like Cat had that _one_ time she'd freaked when he got injured _really badly_ and he'd known just what to do and-

"Simple thoughts, Mari. In. Breathe in. Stop. No, no, use your nose… There. In, out. Look at me, there. Yes, like that. In. Out. No, don't look at Alya. Look at _me_. Blink. Come on, you can- There we go. Simple thoughts. One word. Blink. One. Okay? With me? One. Two. Three. Okay? Out. Two. In. Three."

Marinette let his voice take her over and she breathed. One word thoughts. Focus on Cat. On _Adrien_. Focus. And it eased. It slid off. That unbearable pressure that was crushing her just fell off. Like water tipping from a jug, it fell. She gasped a full breath and Adrien grinned wide and beautiful and she felt so utterly _blessed_ that she'd been given him for a partner. For a friend.

"And we're back. See? Not so bad, huh Bug?"

Marinette groaned and flopped against the table. She tried to snatch her hand back but Adrien held it firm and really she was glad. He smiled a sad little apology at her and she rolled her eyes. It made him chuckle softly.

"Nett? What- Huh."

Marinette smiled weakly at Nino as her body deflated and the attack left. Nino was looking startled and confused and then relieved and she swallowed past her dry throat before grasping the words to answer.

"Panic attack." she whispered, grinning sheepishly.

Alya's hand was rubbing circles on her back, she realised, and she hadn't noticed till then. She looked nervously up at her friend and Alya looked back and somehow Marinette managed to hold down the panic as it threatened to rise again. Her friend was always so confident, so fierce and fiery like her hair and yet now she looked uncertain.

"Marinette…"

Marinette bit her lip before looking at Adrien. He knew, of course, what she was asking. Of course he knew. He was her Cat Noir, her partner. Her _Chaton_. Her very best friend. Of course he knew, it was silly to even entertain the idea that he didn't. She smiled weakly when he nodded at her. With a heavy and anxious sigh, Marinette looked back at Alya, and then at Nino.

"Can you make it till break? Please? We'll explain. But- But there will have to be… Conditions."

She flashed nervous eyes at her journalist friend.

"There _have_ to be."

Alya's face was serious and thoughtful under her shock as she looked back at Marinette. Finally, just when Marinette was beginning to think that she'd never be able to convince Alya not to alert all of Paris to their secret, her friend nodded and Marinette felt weak with relief.

"Okay." she said, simply. Marinette grinned.

She jumped at the warm touch on the knuckles of the hand still held so gently, turning to look at Adrien in shock as he gave her a grin that was perfectly balanced between sheepish and _brazen_. It was such a very Cat Noir expression that she felt the tug, hard in her chest. His green eyes were twinkling with that bold cheekiness she'd somehow fallen in love with. Nino and Alya were staring, idiotic grins growing on their faces and she didn't care, because those green eyes were on her and she didn't think she'd ever be able to look away again.

And then they were all covering their ears as Chloé Bourgeois let out a dreadful screech.

"DID YOU JUST _KISS_ HER HAND?"


	35. UPDATE

**THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER, IT'S A NOTE ON WHAT'S TO COME.** _(Sorry.)_

Hey Guys!

I just want to say a _huuuuuge_ **thank** **you** to those of you who have followed this, who have read, commented, PM'd and **everything** else besides.

You guys are amazing and awesome. Your feedback is not only lovely to receive but also helpful, supportive and often reassuring that what I'm putting out there actually makes sense to someone besides myself.

We all know it's a fan _fiction_ , but being told it makes sense, that it's progression seems natural, that it's _believable_ , that truly rules.

 _There is a sequel in the works._

To those of you who've read through and are happy to leave it where it is, I want to say **Thanks** for taking the time, thanks for comments and feedback. Thanks for all the little comments saying simply that you enjoyed a particular Chapter.

To those who will be hopping on the next train to see where this story may go in a new journey, I also say **Thanks** for the road so far and hope you'll enjoy future updates.

The working Title will be " _No Rest For The Super_ ", which may change before posting but _probably won't._

 **I'll link it here** when it's begun, for anyone who may want to know.

I've also got other Miraculous fics in play just now, so hopefully we'll start getting them up too at some point.

(I'm aware I'm juggling several fics and I always feel guilty when it's been a while between updates.)

 ** _Thank you, and Happy Reading!_**


	36. FINAL UPDATE

Hey Guys!

It's up!

The Sequel, _No Rest For The Super_ , is up and In-Progress!

The plan is to have a lot more fluffiness in this fic. There will be Angsty-ness too, what with people finding out secrets, but overall Marinette and Adrien will be building a hybrid relationship, one that isn't their old one and isn't completely new. There's going to be plenty of shy moments and lots of making sure the other is okay.

There's also the cat that Chloé has let out of the bag, so their classmates have questions too.

I've tried a couple times to post a link here, (You'll have to take the spaces out!) but if it isn't going to work you can always find the work on my profile. :)

Happy Reading!

www .fanfiction net /s/12268340/1/


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